Finding One’s Calling
A friend recently congratulated me on “finding my calling” through the leather work that I have been doing now for the past three years. While I don’t think that being a “leatherworker” is my life purpose, my “calling”, if you will, I am picking up what he is putting down. Leatherwork is at the intersection of my natural gifts/talents and earning a living.
As with yesterday’s sentiment of my next home being a stepping stone, so to is leather (in my mind). Life is mostly swimming against the current, an uphill battle, so when we can find those moments where it just seems a little easier, it makes life seem not quite so difficult all the time. These times feel like the hitting in the sweet spot on a tennis racket, or sinking that perfect putt. The swing is right, the contact with the ball is right, and the desired outcome is a success.
I am still amazed when I get to the end of a leather project. Amazed that I just made whatever it is. Amazed that is looks stunning. Amazed that I designed the thing. Amazed that I made it (did I say that already?). Amazed that it (this business) seems to be working. Amazed that I ever discovered leatherwork to begin with. Amazed that I get paid to work with my hands in this manner.
And then I pack up the thing and ship it off to wherever my customer is. And I move on to the next thing.
I can’t take any credit though, and I also don’t want to sugar coat any of this. This is not easy. The work (both at the workbench and away from it) is constant. The fear of failure is constant. The fear that work will just vanish, dry up, is always there. The credit, though, is all to God. He gave me the ability to work with my hands the way I do, the ability to imagine something in my mind, transfer that vision to paper, and then create a tangible item utilizing very simple methods with a very simple toolset with a material that has been in use since just about the beginning of time. He gives me the ideas, the tangents, the words, the connections.
Anyways. These posts always go longer than I intend 😂 I love what I do, am grateful for the opportunity, and humbled that I have been entrusted with these gifts.
Thanks for reading up to this point if you did. I hope you have an
absolutely phenomenal Friday!
~ Aaron
Grateful log for Fri, 29 Mar 2024
- Up mostly successfully at 4:30, snoozed once so technically 4:38.
- Being “realistic” with my work schedule.
- Making really nice leather goods.