Early Warning Signs

Are there some moments from your past that you can point to as an indicator of who or what you were to become? In third grade I came in second in our classroom spelling bee.  The word ‘hurl,’ an unknown word to me at that point, was my downfall.  At the moment when Mrs. Storm said that ‘h-e-a-r-l’ was wrong, the room felt much smaller and much warmer. I was so disappointed and fighting hard not to cry a couple of minutes later when she pinned a Second Place yellow ribbon and paper flower on my dress. But I look back and say that played a part in my love of words.

A few years later our assignment was to tell someone’s story.  I don’t remember the person or why I thought their life was interesting.  What I remember are people’s reactions to my speech.  My parents, classmates, and teacher were surprised that I could tell a story in a moving and convincing way.  Then, as a senior, we had to make a presentation from the podium in the auditorium, and, again, the feedback was that I appeared at ease and comfortable at the microphone.  Both of those exercises reinforced an internal thrill of storytelling and public speaking.

Now, the twist for me was that at that time I was mostly known as a musician. Performing came naturally to me.  I thought that music would take me through life, and while enjoyment of it certainly has, little did I know at the end of high school that I would mostly pack up musical performances just a couple of years later.  I’m very fortunate that in my professional and personal life there have been opportunities to shift direction and pursue what those early warning signs told me.

What about you?  As an architect, engineer, contractor, or demolition expert can you look back to building blocks and understand your role today?  Did you bring home every stray animal or bandage your Ken and Barbie?  It’s not too late to look back for those points when you felt a tug that said you’d like to explore something a little more and do something about it.

Oh, the person who won the spelling bee?  Amanda Cabot became a novelist and her latest book, With Autumn's Return, was just published.  Check out http://www.sff.net/people/amanda.cabot/

Marilyn