When I was about 13-14 our family began homeschooling full-time. I also began working with my dad nearly full time. When I was 16 I got some crazy high SAT scores, and our Tucson mall store was beginning to thrive, so we made the decision to kind of taper off my schooling to fully immerse me in the jewelry trade. We figured that i was more or less done with school, and that since id always be in business, id not need that last year or two of high school studies, let alone college. People warned us against this- id need a diploma someday, id want that behind me. I (with the constant advice of dad) was arrogant in my denial of this. So arrogant, so foolish. I worked beside my dad 50 to 70 hours per week. I sculpted and polished and soldered and waited on customers. I learned a trade, and we prospered, sort of. When our family re-settled in Michigan i worked again beside my dad- long hours into the night to get Wexford Jewelers open and running. I worked Renaissance faires around the country, met my husband and began a family. Sometimes i fell off the family business wagon, but i always came back around again, in a desperate desire to please my family and do what i thought was good. We moved multiple times for the business giving up friends and so many things in life. Michael Allen Christenson II has been more than patient and supported me in this so many times. I am eternally grateful to him. My trade became my passion for quite a while, outshining my social life, my own children, even my marriage. Life has changed. Things happened within the jewelry trade and life and the business itself that caused my passion to burn out like a dying star. I put far more of a focus now on my children, my marriage, my person. Grateful for the love and loyalty of my children and husband. I am done now with the jewelry store and i have so little to show for over two decades of commitment and passion and moving and constantly thinking, thinking, thinking. It has left me rather empty, honestly. I am ready for a new start... a career that perhaps gives me a solid wage and a 401k. A job where i dont have to work with the tiresome, tiresome public. Something that involves intense research and study. Something- dare i hope- that betters humanity. This will take several years to acquire, more than likely. In all reality i might not make it happen til im 40 or so. Now in my new fumbling quest, i sit in front of a book that will prepare me for this learning, and i shake with rage at my past arrogance. I used to be good at math, and now it stumps me. I cannot solve a simple algebraic equation without the help of my children! It is humbling. I wish that i had finished my schooling and let business wait a bit. I wish i had listened to cousins and friends. It is what it is, i guess. In this interim period i will refocus my passion onto my family and my art. I will continue to sculpt, because im damned good at it. I will probably always make things because i just love to do that. My dad was right in that respect. However, ive learned a strong lesson about the importance of a proper, solid education. Ive learned that willful neglect of learning is a detriment to ones self and family. But despite all of this, i am not really remorseful. Its been a grand ride. Ive worked hard enough to leave a legacy in my work- many people wear a ring with my name inside, and this will continue. Ive changed too many watch batteries and heard too many jewelry stories. Ive met and worked beside amazing people, and for as weary as i am of people, i still love them all rather a lot.
Posted on: Tue, 06 Jan 2015 18:50:57 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015