Much of our lives are built around what we do and what we did not do, or rather what we could have done. It is in those moments that opportunity presents itself, and we respond with a decision that ripples life-changing consequences. Decisions of this magnitude are difficult to realize, and to insure our judgment doesn’t fall to error we are often hesitant, because we are aware of its importance. Which paths we choose, what goals we aim to accomplish, what we decide defines our integrity as people. The most significant of these is, “What do I wish to become?” In terms of profession or even an essence of being, oftentimes this question leads to much more than a simple answer. Rather, it leads to the opposite. But amidst all the confusion, there is really only one thing we must do. We must pursue that which makes us happy. By doing so, whatever our decision, we can be certain it was the correct one.
In Lorrie Moore’s collection of short stories titled, “Self-Help”, her short story “How to Become a Writer” best exemplifies this. More like a set of guidelines, the short story tells the reader about the stages and happenings that must occur in order to become a writer, and it goes into particular detail appearing to be an autobiography of the speaker’s own experiences. The fourth paragraph of page 122 contains the thesis in which I advocate in the context of becoming a writer.
Happiness is what we all appear to desire, where our passion lies. There is no universal to happiness, each persons’ joy is their own and no one else’s. Moore writes, “The only happiness you have is writing something new, in the middle of the night, armpits damp, heart pounding, something no one has yet seen.” Moore is painting a picture of what writing is like for the writer. When engaged in writing, the feeling is so great that physical effects appear. For the writer, writing is passion. It is a force that seizes the mind of the writer into excitement.
She continues, “You have only those brief, fragile, untested moments of exhilaration when you know: you are a genius.” It may seem conceded, but consider when we do something we are genuinely proud of; a moment of sheer ecstasy when we know that what we have done is exactly what was intended. Here, Moore’s speaker feels accomplishment. Where passion rests is where enjoyment thrives, that which will engulf our attention to a point of insomnia. Passion is saturated with happiness. All that is left is to exercise our passions in order to harvest its bountiful bliss.
However much of the time, our passions aren’t understood or supported by others. Moore included imagery of different faces responding the speaker’s writing. All are blank, “face blank as a donut”, “They seem to all have one face—giant and blank as a vandalized clock”, “face blank as a large Kleenex”, “face blank as a sheet of paper.” People may not agree with our individual passions, but they in no way govern them. The lives of others should never influence a life path. It is ultimately our own decisions.
In the face of doubt, we must glorify what possesses the essence of our passions, what brightens our happiness, and at all costs strive to never let its light fade. It is the only way we will ever find meaning and purpose.
