Leaving Childhood Skills Behind…

A number of teenagers poccess special skills but left it behind as they venture into adulthood because everyone around them convince them that ‘it’s just not practical earning a living doing that.’

But some may continue, choosing a vocation that is related to their childhood skills. After all, as children or teenagers, it is a carefree period in our lives and what we love to do or are good at is a good indication of something that we should learn to pursue as livelihood…

Jenny Y is a friend that I’ve known since high school. We were classmates for 3 years before going our separate ways and lost contact for many years. Jenny is very talented in art- both drawing and colouring. She can come up with beautiful pieces in a short time. To me, she is naturally gifted and very creative. We always look forward during art classes to see the pieces drawn by Jenny.

Jenny drew the most beautiful birthday cards that I’ve ever received. For 2 years of my birthday, I’ve received birthday cards from her. Even though so many years had passed, I’ve kept this cards well:

The contents of a birthday card by Jenny on my 16th birthday (many years ago)

Another creative birthday card by Jenny

She even had my name drawn creatively on the birthday envelopes 🙂

my name, Yin Teing, scribbled on the envelop

Another creative scribble

We parted ways soon after Form 5. I continued my Form 6 and she went to college. Then, we met again two years ago at an old classmate’s wedding. Jenny never looked a day older- she’s one of those who are naturally gifted with a high metabolic rate- that means that she is not able to gain weight no matter how much she eats. I know many girls will kill for that, hee hee.

Bear in mind that Jenny had drawn those pictures without requiring any guidance or formal training, it was just impromptu drawings or what she would probably referred to as ‘quick sketches’.

Feeling glad to see her, I’ve taken the chance to ask her if she is involved in arts since she has displayed great potential in drawing and creative design. She told me that she does not paint or do designs for a living. Instead, she operates a kindergarten and nursery school.

She is working with children- and similar to drawing, a lot of creativity is required. Children today are more intelligent and hyperactive. To manage them and keep their attention would require patience and lots of thinking out-of-the-box. In a way, Jenny still applies her unique skills- but in a more matured form that helps kiddies.

Don’t Leave the childhood skills/interests behind

If we think back of something that we love when we are young, most likely that we would have said goodbye too as we headed towards adulthood. Such gifts, as I would like to call them, would be good to keep at least as hobbies or something we retreat to when we want to destress from this competitive world. Keeping the interests alive also nurture our creativity skills, which once developed, can spill over into other aspects of our lives.

Sometimes these interests are prelude to bigger things to come- if we spend time to nurture them, we will never know. Like for me, I have love crafts, coloured ribbons and beads from a young age- this interest led me to subsequently made my own website to share the interest with people. Today, I love to blog and blogging had helped to improve my writing skills and allowed me to express myself better. Also I love making my own websites and with writing, had become invaluable in my career previously.

Therefore, don’t leave your childhood skills behind…. who knows, it may evolve into something. And one day, you could become someone whom you thought you could never be.

If you are at the crossroads in life where you have no idea what you want to be, then think back of your younger years- what sparkled or motivated you? Doodles? Experimenting with cooking? Return to these roots and see what you can do that is related to what you love.

If you are able to find a way to make a living doing something that is related to that, you may never need to work a day in your life because your career becomes your true vocation.