One of the many benefits to having a small, close group of forever friends is that I have a large resource of others to go to when something’s the matter with another. For instance, when concerned with a friend’s sad disposition, I am able to consult one of the other bests to discuss why this may be and what we agree should be done. This way, we are all equipped to approach her in our own unique ways to broach the subject and hopefully, improve each other. This tactic has been met with success many a time before; I can’t even remember a time when it didn’t. It’s not gossiping in the pop culture sense because we don’t stoop to judgments or name-calling aimed at making ourselves feel better. Rather it is like getting a second opinion when we feel something is troubling another. It’s reassuring to know our concerns are shared and that we aren’t over-analyzing (a terrible female affliction).
Last evening, after a truly femme night of pedicures, dinner and a chick lit flick (Devil Wears Prada), conversation turned to what happens at 21 to the girl who flourished and exceeded in school, but who has been stumped as to what comes next. She continues to exceed at what she does, and has enough talent to light a city (were it measured in volts) though she finds herself unsure of what to do with it, and de-motivated at how to get there. She is a wonderful singer and songwriter, and though she has set out to take vocal training in the fall, she is not sure whether this is the talent to take her through the rest of her life. She is artistically very creative in every sense of the word- from paint-on-canvas to room décor to photography. (I often wish she were able to follow me throughout my projects and tasks to infuse a little artistic advise) She is not sure if this should be translated into starting an artistically-catering small business, so for now she is enrolled in small business management courses in the fall as well. She is an avid biker (though resting her injured knee now). She has succeeded at biology, math, dramatic performance, makeup application, and essay writing on any topic. On paper, as you see, she is the offspring any parent would be proud of. She has been historically plagued by a negatively distorted view of her outer appearance and is a hopeless romantic I fear may be running out of hope. In short, she is a mass of extraordinary talent capable of exploding in a Big Bang of success or of fizzling out like a distant star, too afraid of what could happen instead.
Theories circulating last evening included the idea that maybe, because she has always been so gifted and smart, she has come to subconsciously expect things to come easy to her, as everything has before, (Skills-wise, that is) and now that it is time to put in the grunt work, she misinterprets his discord for a sign it is a wrong path. Or that her compendium of talent is so huge that it is a heavy responsibility and burden because she knows she must do something with it all, but what’s the right move? Maybe she has an inner dialogue that, in spite of what is obvious to us her friends, tells her she will never make it, quit now and cut your losses, why bother? I hope for the sake of the world that could benefit from her presence and gifts that the latter is not true. But as her friends, we are ready to be her cheerleading team. If wishes were granted in the literal sense, then I would wish for her to, “Go Confidently in the direction of your dreams. Live the life you've imagined,” (as Thoreau so nicely put it).
For now it is summer, time to omit what happens in the fall and winter, and embrace what is offered to us by sunny weather.