"Doing What You Have to Do" Is A Part of the Journey
“That will be $54.78,” the cashier told Destiny after ringing up her art supplies. Destiny shook her head while grabbing her wallet out of her purse. She reluctantly handed the cashier her credit card knowing she didn’t have the income to back up this purchase. Destiny offered a half smile, and a “you too” to the cashier’s cheerful, “have a nice day” as she walked out of the store.
The snow began to fall pretty hard and fast as Destiny made her way back to her brownstone about two miles away. Bills seemed to fall upon her more heavily than the snow these days, but she was focused on her dreams. She turned the corner to her street, rushed up the stoop and into the warmth. She made her way up the flight of steps, opened her apartment door, then set her supplies on a table.
She stood looking at her current work in progress that was sitting on an easel in the living room, and smiled. She liked the direction it was headed in. She turned her music on, grabbed her apron, and as soon as she tied it around her waist, she was interrupted by a phone call.
It was an automated message from her bank informing her of an overdraft. She logged into her mobile app and saw that she was deep in the red. She had won an art contest two months prior, but she had exhausted those funds at this point. Her rent would be due within the next two weeks and she had no way of paying it. As expected, she was very stressed and had no idea what she was going to do. She turned her music up, and started in on her painting.
After about an hour, Destiny took a break. She plopped down on her couch thinking of how she could dig herself out of her financial plight. “Maybe I could ask a friend…ugh, but I hate owing people and that would be a very short-term fix,” she thought. Then, the voices of her parents with their advice entered her mind and irritated her just as much as walking around with a rock in your shoe would.
“How about you do some subbing while working on your art?” she could hear her father saying and her mother co-signing with, “Yes, at least it would take care of your bills and art supplies.”
She hated the thought of subbing, but she needed the money, and needed it fast. Her aunt worked in administration for a school district; so it wouldn’t be difficult to get started very quickly. She wanted so badly to just focus on her art, but she knew the time had come to where she would have to suck it up and do what she had to do.
Those who choose to take the road less traveled rarely have a smooth path that leads directly towards their dreams. A lot of times this will mean having to do some things that you don’t necessarily want to do, to be able to do the things that you want to do. For example, taking on a job that has nothing to do with your passion so that you can afford to pursue it further. Doing so doesn’t mean you have to lose sight of your goals, it just means that you are providing a way to sustain yourself in the process. Additionally, taking on that job that deviates from your true intentions should also give you an extra boost towards turning your dreams into reality just from the simple fact that that’s not where you want to be. Although it’s a decision that many dread, more often than not, it is a part of the journey. Do what has to be done in the meantime while focusing on the bigger picture. It will all pay off in the end.
N7,
Candidly C