I've been away for a little while but I'm back to blogging :)
Though I don't shy away from dark or sad things (and in fact, am often drawn to them) I also enjoy hearing inspiring messages, especially from engaging orators. So for the past several years, I've made an effort to watch a few videos of commencement speeches. I haven't carried the tradition into 2020, but the other day I was thinking of Neil Gaiman and the 2012 speech he delivered at The University of the Arts in Philadelphia.
The first time I saw this, I was a schoolteacher. Connecting with students and making a difference in education was rewarding, but in my heart I felt I was meant for something different than pedagogy. This speech was most assuredly not what made me leave the field, but it arrived at a time when I was questioning what it was I wanted to do; how I wanted to spend my time. Turns out, I really just want to make good art. It's as simple and as complicated as that. As an emering writer, I'm not there yet. But I believe I'm on my way.
Here's the speech if you'd like to watch: