Have you ever met a person who is good at everything? Well I
have…and I married him. I may be biased, but my husband consistently
demonstrates his creative genius. Over the years, he has morphed into a cake decorator,
a jewelry designer, wood carver and a landscape artist. He also excels in the
music arena, being a drummer, keyboard player and a guitarist. Did I mention
that he also draws really well?
I once asked him what gives him the courage to pursue a new
artistic mission. He responded with a general piece of advice given to him as a
young man: “If someone can do something, so can I, even if I’m not the best at
it.”
Telling him how annoying he was, after perfectly conquering
each of his innovative endeavors, quickly became a joke between us. He would
modestly laugh it off, telling me that the miraculous creation before my eyes
wasn’t that good. His lack of confidence betrays his abilities every time, which
keeps him blissfully humble. But I know better. He is fantastic at whatever he attempts.
So, of course, there have been a few instances where I’ve felt like an inferior
bystander, watching his virtuosity unfold before my eyes.
It’s not that I am completely talentless. I have my own
strengths as well. However, what I touch does not always turn to gold like it
does for my King Midas. After years of being in awe of him, I gave myself a pat
on the back, realizing that it takes someone of strong character to constantly
be around someone like him. It takes someone with confidence, someone who will
not feel threatened by his success, someone with patience and understanding of
how an inventive mind works. It takes someone who will encourage him to
continue to pursue this creative outlet, because that is where his ultimate happiness
and true self lies.
Most days, I am that woman for him. But here’s my
confession: Occasionally, I’m not. Sometimes, I watch him master yet another
task and try to ignore the pang of envy. Every now and then, I find myself wishing
that talent was a learned behavior, and that I could be his student.
Simply stated, some people are more gifted than others. I
know that his “if someone can do it, so can I” mantra clearly doesn’t apply to
me. His talent is leagues above what I could ever hope to achieve. Most days, I
am fine with this. But once in a while, it totally sucks to realize that my tiny
creative spark will surely be masked by his roaring eternal flame. Am I looking
for sympathy? Hell no! I’m merely pointing out that living with someone who has
a gazillion times more talent than I do can be a challenge. But with challenge, comes
reward.
Ultimately, I get to sail through life with a man who
constantly dares himself to be better. Regardless of my talent (or lack
thereof), his outlook on life, his desire to set new goals, and his love of the
unknown rubs off on me in an incredibly positive way. Although there may be a
few days per year where I feel as though I am not worthy, the good news is that
I spend the majority of the year being his cheerleader, lifting him up, and giving
him the boost he needs to begin his next project. These are the days I focus
on. These are the days that I remember the pleasure of watching his passions
turn into successful realities. Though I cannot contribute anything other than my
support, I am happy to watch him continually succeed at whatever makes him
smile most.
As I write this, my husband is currently busy cooking up his
next adventure, and it thrills me to know that he chose me to be alongside him
for the ride.
