A Cup of Wisdom
24 Nov 2009 5 Comments
in Daily Encounters, Inspiration Tags: lectures, purpose
I had the opportunity to go to a lecture by David Oliver Relin, co-author of Three Cups of Tea, a NY Times Bestseller. I haven’t read the book, but his talk was rewarding nonetheless. He shared an observation that has been reverberating in my mind:
“It’s the duty of the writer to listen to the stories of the powerless, and tell them to the powerful.”
Trying to focus a passion is like trying to shepherd a herd of stallions. When I heard that line, I heard a whip crack. A purpose. Not the ultimate purpose, but a strand of the many that, when woven together, create an unmistakable portrait of certainty and direction. That’s what I saw what I looked at David Oliver Relin. You can always tell when someone has a purpose rooted within him or her. It comes with a distinguishable aura that either induces admiration, intimidation, or jealousy. I choose to feel inspired.
Everyone goes through three stages: Who, Why, and What. Who am I? Why am I? What do I do about it?
My answer to the first is, I am a writer. Why am I a writer? I’m still exploring that question, and I explore it through answering the last one: I write.
Life is all about transactions. You give and you get. Answering the Why helps you figure out what you’re supposed to give to the world using what you do best. When I heard Relin make the above statement, I felt so naive, so inexperienced. It reminded me that I know nothing. But in a good way. When you start to think you know, a part of you feels like there isn’t as much out there to learn. When you realize that you know nothing, that the knowledge you have is the size of an atom compared to all the knowledge the universe holds, you truly begin to learn.
Why am I a writer? I hope I spend the rest of my life answering that question.
