Talent vs Passion / Hardwork

*WARNING: MIGHT CONTAIN SPOILERS*

I just finished watching the Kdrama “Do You Like Brahms?” last night. As much as I am frustrated how the lead girl was portrayed as weak and always sorry and anxious aka not empowering at all, there are some lessons picked up along the way.

Lead guy is both talented and passionate with good looks to match his piano playing. His music career blossomed, he became famous for his craft –with fans, solo concerts, and CDs. But soon, he felt burnt out when his drive turned into the need to earn money for his dad who always gets in financial trouble. I realized that anyone, even with your first love, can feel burnt out when you lost your original WHY in doing things. Your passion just turned into an obligation.

I also like the personality type of the pianist who can express more of what he feels through what he plays. What a total artist slash introvert! I think that aside from talent that came from his years of experience, pressing the piano keys with his heart made a difference to the music he creates versus a sea of other experienced pianists. His becomes art. It moves people. To some audience, they may even find comfort, to some it may be recurrence of past pains. I like this art tidbit to the drama. I realized that in whatever craft I pursue, when you put your heart in it, people will feel it.

Meanwhile, lead girl may not be my ideal strong woman character, but she showed another side of strength through her quietness. She showed how anyone can go for what they want at any time—regardless of age, years of experience, and opinions of people around you. But reality bites, there are industries where you can’t beat people with talent and experience. Maybe especially in performing arts. I would have hoped for an empowering ending where lead girl who practiced day in and out suddenly finds her niche in the industry, but it turns out that the lesson this drama wanted to put across is “it’s ok to quit”. There are things in this world that you will really like but are just not meant for you to pursue as a career, and that’s okay.

I can’t remember how I stopped pursuing art as a career. Maybe it was when I became a journalism student in college after not passing in fine arts (my first choice course). Now at this age, more than a decade out of school, my source of money comes from a mix of my passion and what I studied in college since I am now a full-time blogger. But painting and crafting are now just hobbies I dabble in whenever I remember to. Not as much as before since we have more choices of activities now, and I sometimes forget about these things too (just like the lead girl and playing violin). But I guess in a way I am thankful that art remained there in my list of go-to fun activities which I am not obliged to excel. Maybe it’s something I won’t get burnt out easily (or never), since it’s not an activity I am pressured to do to earn or be successful in the field. In a way, I’m thankful now for those huge life turns and bumps coz I still have art as a happy thing.