What's Your Thing? (Part 1)

Since I gave birth to my daughter, almost five years ago, nothing is mine alone. We share my bed, makeup, hair supplies, bubble bath, shoes, food, friends, jewelry, husband…everything! The one thing that we share that the “kid in me” secretly loves is the television. Because television programming has gotten completely out of control, she is only permitted to watch Noggin. It’s a wonderful station geared toward providing education and entertainment all in one.

Every afternoon a cartoon called “Little Bill” comes on. It’s our favorite! I credit my decision to pursue writing and speaking to one special episode in particular. In that episode, Little Bill was home one day trying to find something to do. He went to hang out with his grandmother “Alice the Great” but she was busy knitting. He tried to spend a moment with his father and he was busy listening to Jazz. Little Bill asked his father about Jazz, and he told him it was the “thing” he liked to do when he wasn’t working. He stayed with his father for a moment when he soon realized that jazz was not his “thing.” Finally, he found his mother. She was cleaning her camera equipment and preparing for a shoot. Little Bill asked her if photography was her “thing” and she answered “yes.” Little Bill set out to discover his thing. After asking the opinions of his family and playing in his room, he discovered that his “thing” was telling stories. He was so excited to finally uncover the thing he does best!

When the show was over, my daughter turned to me and said “mommy, what’s your thing?” I responded by telling her all of the things I liked to do. She then said, “but what is your thing?” I realized; I had no idea what I did best. I spent the next couple of days thinking about it. I asked my husband, my sister, and some friends. At the end of that week we all came to the same conclusion. I am good and expressing my written words verbally. Finally, I had uncovered the thing I do best!

This week make some discoveries of your own. Ask yourself “what is my thing?” Some of you may already know your "thing" and may even be making a good living doing it. Some of you have many things that you enjoy doing but are unsure of the thing you do best. This week I have put together a series of blogs devoted to helping you discover your “thing.” If you have been fortunate enough to have discovered it already, please share with us. I will share my story of discovery as well as the stories of some others who are doing their “thing.”