13. The Good Life

Lesson: Let the people who do what they love to do for no money inspire you to rekindle the passion for what you love to do.

I'm sure the guy standing next to me on the M train was famous. Sure he was the only one who heard the beats through his headphones, but he was two decibels and 1 dance move away from giving an all out performance. I'm not saying he was in slight bit entertaining, but I could tell he was passionate.

Then there was the puppet show at the Powell Station. It was nonsense, but the guy put his heart in it. 

All throughout Fisherman's Wharf there are dancers, painters, artist, and one guy that I would call the comedian. His idea is so good I wouldn't want to spoil it by tipping people off to what he does.... but it's THAT good and super creative.  

Of course there are the street musicians. Guitars, violins, and drum symphonies fill the air of the MUNI station and street corners. 

My favorite performer was a couple of weeks ago. A saxophonist was playing my favorite jazz medley- Take 5. It was so good I contemplated being late just to enjoy him playing. Even I, the broke college student, was about to give him some money *gasp*.

Is this all wasted talent? Can talent really be wasted? I say no. I have come to realize that passion for life can be wasted.

Maybe some of the street performers make bank on all the tax free money, but I'm sure most of them are struggling.

Maybe they are the smart ones for pursing what they love despite not being able make a whole bunch of money. Thousands of people pass by them each day headed to jobs that pay more in an hour than what they make in a day (a gross exaggeration but so what). Half of the people who walk by are probably going to jobs they hate. Working for the man and doing what they said they would never do.

It is easy to look at street artist and think, "I wonder what happen in their life. They could have been a great ________, but now they just work for a few dollars here and there on the street."

It harder to look at all the people who are going to work and saying, "I would hate to be that passionless drone going to a job they hate even though he makes $500,000 a year." I'm all for keeping the lights on and having a little change in your pocket, but at some point when working has sucked the life out of you you have got to stop... switch careers, open a business, go back to school, or something.

First step: figure out what it is that you most want to be. Second step: Pursue that passionately. It may take time. Face the fear of the unknown and uncertainty and embrace. The journey may not be smooth, or you may not get the fairy tell ending, but at least your soul wont be dead inside.

Carpe Diem!