Amidst all the negative news circulating through the media and the internet, there are still uplifting, positive articles that showcase the triumphs of humanity and the human spirit. The most recent article is on a tattoo artist from Mexico who followed his passion wherever it took him and now has an exhibit on display in New York till April 23rd. Dr. Lakra, as he is now known, was from an early age deeply ingrained with artists' influences, his father being a prominent artist in Mexico. His father brought him to museums around the world and invariably taught his son that if you find your passion, follow it wherever it leads, it will most often times lead to success.
The road to success was not an easy one for Dr. Lakra, but it often times never is. It seems that it was his desire and willingness to learn everything he could about art and tattooing that carried him to where he is today. Currently, he has his own tattoo parlor in Oaxaca, Mexico and besides New York, has had a few other shows around the country. These shows are not just about the tattoos. They include full size murals and ink on vellum amongst others. Through his study of art, he has been able to create his own style and become successful at it. There is something to be said for following your passions and desires. It can lead to happiness and satisfaction and most times success. I posted yesterday about how we should all be more in touch with our passions and emotions because they are the basis of who we are. This gentleman from Mexico is a prime example of what you could become if you are in tune with your passion and emotion.
How many of us when we were younger had a passion or desire to do something other than what we are currently involved in. Why did we switch path's following an alternate route? Was it because our passion changed or was it because we were taught in school that we should follow a certain path and the path we were taught did not coincide with the one we were passionate about? It is not just about school, though, it is also about our parents and their support and influence on us as children. It should be the role of parents, while guiding us through the moral high ground to also support our passions and desires, even if they diverge from their own or seem questionable at the time. To a certain degree, even now, parents feel that they know what their child's passions and desires are. But are they really the child's passions and desires or are they more a projection of what their childhood passions and desires were?
If we all followed our passions and desires, we might not be where we are today. There is a lot to be learned by following your gut instinct, your passion whatever it may be, and following it wherever it may take you. Will the road be easier than others? Often times not, but the satisfaction the to be gained by following your passions and desires will far outweigh any monetary gain you will recieve. Some may ask, how are you supposed to live if you aren't making money doing what you are passionate about? There is always a way to make money doing what you are passionate about. It takes creativity and imagination to come up with a way of doing so. Creativity and imagination are often stifled when we are younger because it may seem that we are not rooted in reality. But that ultimately begs the question; what is reality? One person's "reality" may be completely different from their friend's "reality". Reality is the world we build based on our passions and desires, rooted in a tacit understanding of those same passions and desires. Our reality may seem odd or strange to others, but that does not make it wrong, it makes it unique and fascinating.
Lets celebrate the wonders of the human spirit, the ability to follow our passions and desires, and leave behind the stereotype. Lets invest more time and energy in supporting those who would create their own realities, namely, anyone who follows their passions and desires. Let us also speak out against the forces that try to conform us to a set model and dictate how we should live our lives. I have a friend who has said that people are not as unique as we think they are. Well, I take this statement to be false. (More on indivdualism and uniqueness later). While we all share similar basic bodily functions, what separates us from each other is our distinct passions and desires. Let us become more in tune with this and create for ourselves a world of our own design, based on the support of our friends and loved ones. (If they don't support you, find the people who will.) Smile, for if you are reading this today, you can change your life, follow your passions, and create a world of happiness and satisfaction.
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