Cork singer-songwriter John Spillane (pictured) writes: “On my 18th birthday I got a full-time permanent and pensionable job in Bank of Ireland, and two years later I left it to become a full-time professional musician. My mother nearly killed me. ‘If you leave your good job in the bank,’ says she, ‘don’t ever come back to this house again!’ Then when I rang her and told her I had handed in my notice, she said, ‘Ah, sure, we’ll see you Friday night.'”
This is just to say: DO THE THING. I’m not talking about the harmful thing, the mean thing – of course. I’m talking about the thing your heart calls you to do, and that’s always a helpful thing, a beautiful thing.
Don’t wait for others to give the green light or even to understand it. How can they? It’s not their heart talking; it’s yours.
And here’s what I’ve learned: people get used to things, especially once they’re a fait accompli. And like John Spillane – who is not only a BRILLIANT songwriter, but also the author of one of my favorite books in this year of hungry reading – you’ll still be welcome when you go home on Friday night.
