Your Effort and Determination Make New Lines in Your Palm
Is your life trajectory pre-determined or do you direct your future?
“It was my effort and determination that made new lines in my palm.” — Natalie Goldberg.
I read this quote from Natalie Goldberg in her book on writing, Writing Down the Bones. It’s part of the interview in the back of the latest edition.
Natalie said that when she visited a palm reader and an astrologist they told her to become an accountant. But she wanted to be a writer. So she wrote.
Her determination to be a writer, and the effort she put into writing, changed the trajectory of her life, or as she says, “made new lines in her palm.”
I think we all want guidance in life. Someone to say, “You're good at this — go in that direction.” Life coaches are popular these days. People seem to need guidance. Life can be complicated.
My high school Spanish teacher told me that I had an affinity for language. She wanted me to major in Spanish in college. I couldn’t grasp this lofty dream for my life so I disregarded her advice and became a teacher instead. I often wonder what my life would look like today had I been determined to follow that path.
