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| © Bill Watterson distributed by Universal Press Syndicate |
“Creating a life that reflects your values and satisfies your soul is a rare achievement.” …Bill Watterson
Through Deacon Greg Kandra at The Deacon’s Bench I found this wonderful tribute to Bill Watterson, the creator of the comic strip “Calvin and Hobbs.” The tribute is by cartoonist Gavin Aung, he has taken Mr. Watterson’s words and illustrated them in a style deeply influenced by Watterson himself.
Before finding the webcomic and accompanying essay on Aung’s site, www.zenpencils.com, I found the comic first on another site where it was posted alone without attribution to Aung and without Aung’s follow up article. What surprised me was how many of the comments on this other site did not grasp the deeper meaning of Watterson’s words. The webcomic is about the joys of moving from a job that did not suit Watterson to one that did, even if it was an unconventional choice. Many of the commentators focused on details, stridently defending the corporate job Watterson left behind.
“Seems like the boss took care of his employees.”
“Turning down the chance to have a beer with your coworkers isn’t nice.”
“Man, I’d kill for that job.”
But Watterson does not complain about the company, the boss, or even the work he left behind. It was simply a job that did not reflect his values or satisfy his soul and so he wrote an article to encourage those who find themselves in a similar situation. It is very easy for us to get seduced by how the world measures success and achievement. We can lose sight of what is truly important. Watterson asks us merely to take a moment to realize that what we gain may be far more valuable than what we gave up.
For some people fulfillment may be found in a corporate job, for others it may mean a lonelier road with its own share of sacrifices and hardships. One way is not better than another, it just may be that one way is better for you.
One of the ways in which we may begin to discern our vocation, that is, to try and understand what it is that God wants us to do with the gifts He has given us, is to ask ourselves a question.
“If money were not part of the equation, if supporting a family at a certain standard of living was not a consideration, what is it that I would most like to do, what would I find most satisfying?”
Or as Watterson might put it,
“What kind of life would reflect my values and satisfy my soul?”
The difficult part comes next, getting from where you are to where you discern God wants you to be.
I did not post the comic because I ask that you read it and Mr. Aung’s accompanying article on Zen Pencils.
And leave a comment for Mr. Aung if you got something from it.
God Bless