During my first design job as a student, working at BYU Independent Studies, I sat next to another student David Habben. He was quiet, we didn't talk much but he was an anomaly to me, a veritable geyser of creativity, intricately detailed drawings, and output. He's always inspired me. I love what he says here:
“In the moment when we reach out and say, I’ve got these skills, I’ve got this experience, what do you want me to do? He’s right there to tell you. I think He’s waiting for us to say, this is who I am. What do you want me to do with who I am? As opposed to ‘how can I be more like everybody else?’ Because when I was working . . . making drawings, I was saying to myself: I’m not this kind of painter, I’m not that kind of artist, this is what I am. But whatever I’ve got right now, I’m gonna give it to you. He’s like: ‘oh, now we’re thinking. You’re saying that you’re grateful for who I made you to be, and you want to use yourself effectively.” —David Habben
(Interestingly, I've also crossed paths with the composer Andrew Maxfield, also featured in the video, as we served as missionaries together in France.)
I've been thinking a lot about the people God shapes us to be, by the circumstances we're born to, the things we experience, and the purposes behind those things. As much as I want to compare myself with these talented/successful/featured individuals, I also know that the work I was shaped to create is also important, and I need to learn how to let it out so it can inspire or help others.
