“The definition of middle age is, when you are at the top of the ladder,
and found that it’s against the wrong wall” ~ Joseph Campbell
How can we prevent this from happening?
Gateway to Chinatown
Throughout my life I wanted to become an artist. Twenty years old, waiting in line to sign up for Speech Pathology and Audiology classes, I already knew that I didn’t want to follow this path. There were many reasons why I didn’t major in art, one it wasn’t practical, two I thought I had to have a special gift, three I had to support myself in the future.
Middle age started young for me, my ladder was on the wrong wall and my dreams were never acknowledged. It took having a child with Down’s syndrome at 38 years old, to finally give myself permission to follow my dream. Having my son Blake was definitely a wake up call, I realized that I wasn’t getting any younger and needed to make this leap of faith.
Sometimes, you don’t need much to motivate you, when you reach this point. This wasn’t a hobby I was attempting, but something I took very seriously. I asked a good artist friend of mine, where to go from here, “What should I do? Do I have potential? Was I too old? Would people think I was crazy?’ I had the dream, but no idea where to start. She was a great support. She told me it was never too late, (my biggest fear, as well as being called crazy) and suggested I take a class at my local junior college. This one little acknowledgement and permission was enough to take me on my journey. We all need this support when we are moving that ladder. The ladder is a lot easier to move with two people.
I’ll end this with another favorite quote of mine of Joseph Campbell’s, said so eloquently.
“All the time. It is miraculous. I even have a superstition that has grown on me as a result of invisible hands coming all the time – namely, that if you do follow your bliss you put yourself on a kind of track that has been there all the while, waiting for you, and the life that you ought to be living is the one you are living. When you can see that, you begin to meet people who are in your field of bliss, and they open doors to you. I say, follow your bliss and don’t be afraid, and doors will open where you didn’t know they were going to be.”
Image Credit
‘Gateway to Chinatown’ – This is Janet’s thirty-ninth painting of her #paint52 challenge.
All Rights Reserved
Medium Atelier Interactive Acrylic on vellum. Measures 8″ X 8″ and is priced at $175 plus Shipping and Handling.
All art from Janet Vanderhoof’s Fine Art Gallery, maybe seen in Janet’s studio at Morgan Hill, CA.
You can contact her here or call (408) 460-7237
Adapted From Original Article Posted At – www.janetvanderhoof.com
Janet;
Someone in my past, older and wiser than me at the time, told me of the “rocking chair” test. Imagine yourself, old and sitting in a rocking chair, wishing you had done something that you “always wish” you had done. Now, old age has done its work, and you no longer have the option to make a change. If you fear change, fear this more!
But, burn the ships? If you are financially able to walk away from your job then by all means take the leap. But most people can’t, and a foolish leap off the cliff will provide you with nothing but broken bones. Most new businesses fail due lack of a responsible business plan; if you don’t know how to make one, hire an expert and take small business classes at a local junior college.
Find your passion, make a plan, take the leap!
Janet, thank you for your wonderfully written words and of course the painting is lovely too. In my life I am finding this to be so true. It is always inspiring to see where your bliss is taking you.
Susan I am so glad you enjoy my art. Thank you so much! 🙂
Ross you are so right. And it would be great if it was introduced at a young age, so the young adult could decide if college was necessary or maybe follow a different route to follow their dream, for example trade school or being an apprentice. Thank you Ross 🙂
Dan, that is so great you heard the call to become a writer and pursued it. Thank you for you comment.
I love your work Janet, did from the first time I viewed it, some while ago now. Alive and vibrant, your bliss comes through, we, the world is very fortunate you let it. Thank you.
Dear Janet:
Thank you for this lovely piece. Wouldn’t it be wonderful if schools (and parents) focused more on teaching children to follow their bliss instead of preparing them for passing tests or “making it” in the competitive world. Then middle-aged and upper middle-aged people (like me) would not have to face the rather daunting task of having to move the ladder to the right wall.
I love the painting.
Wonderful thoughts, Janet. I remember as I sat in a college creative writing course at age 38, surrounded by college kids, I certainly felt out of place in one sense, but at home in another. Thanks for the reminder about “following your bliss” – Campbell’s words were part of my inspiration to pursue my real calling as a writer. I too had the practical message drummed into me when my Dad said “If you had any sense, you’d get an accounting degree.” All through my graduate courses in business I felt suffocated at that direction, and it was a huge relief to break out of that mold!
Thanks Janet! 🙂
Dan
What a beautiful reply! Thank you for sharing Marco!
Thank you Janet for your wonderful reminder…
It’s true for me that as I’ve gotten older I find myself fearing change, even if it seems the best thing for me. Finding the courage to change hasn’t been easy but the grace that seems to always follow the decision, has made me more faithful. The grace in the certainty of purpose and determination lying so close to the surface from deciding to take the leap, does bristle my nerves and often my first response is to retreat. But taking those chances seems more Pavlovian conditioning, changing my first response of pushing grace away to embracing it. Okay, I’m human so it’s not fool proof but still…