Commitment made all the difference
CHERRIL DOTY
“Until one is committed, there is hesitancy ...”
-- W.H. MURRAY
Standing at the railing at Crescent Bay Point in morning fog, I am
lost in thought. The heavy gray air seems to have, for the moment at
least, pushed away the world of linear time. As I watch pelicans
glide and rise over the water, something in me goes right along. My
mind glides through thoughts of the past and rises with hopes for the
future. Murray’s quote about commitment appears in my mind ... and I
think of Josh.
“Josh” is my friend, Joshua Hoy -- a most remarkable young man. He
so embodies this quote from W. H. Murray that I would like to share
some of what I know of Josh with you, my readers.
Never before in history has so much opportunity to imagine and
realize possibilities, hopes, and dreams been available to so many.
And still we have people who are disillusioned by their own failure
to achieve their goals and fulfill their dreams. What is it that
makes one person successful while another is frustrated and
ineffective? Can it be, as Murray suggests, about commitment? This is
where Joshua B.C. Hoy comes in.
Just a few short years ago Josh and I first spoke of his desire to
deepen his own commitment to art and becoming an artist through a
return to school for further study. Even with a lifetime of chasing
after his Muse, this would be a big lifestyle change for him and I
wondered if, in fact, he had any of the aforementioned hesitancy.
This endeavor would be a bold move.
One thing Josh and I have in common is a tendency to ask some of
the hard, thought-provoking questions. Josh actually answers them as
well. I remember posing some that day and, as usual, getting answers
to the queries he could answer and a promise to think on the ones
that at the time he could not yet answer. I knew that he would. Josh
has integrity. He also is honest, real, open, present and much, much
more. But I digress.
What I discovered that day was that although he certainly did not
have all the answers Josh had a consistent commitment that allowed
for no hesitation. He was going in!
The moment one definitely commits oneself ... a whole stream of
events issues from the decision ....Murray could have been speaking
straight to Josh. A stream of events has certainly followed that one
decision that none of us could have foreseen. The upshot of all this
is that at this juncture Josh is living his dream. Finished with his
formal schooling, he set out to apprentice himself and learn still
more. No hesitation seems to appear on his path. He continues with
his incredible journey.
Along the way there have been trials as well as incidents in his
favor. He was persistent. Along the way of his chosen path he was
presented with challenges and obstacles. Along the way he was given
unexpected support in unusual forms. One such was when his sensei
encouraged him to become who he is -- the “keeper of inspirational
moments.” The commitment continued.
This brings us back to now. Tomorrow night -- Saturday, Sept. 27
from 6 to 9 p.m. -- there will be an unveiling of a new figurative
work by the young and talented sculptor Joshua B.C. Hoy at the Laguna
Art Museum. The piece is called “Sentience” and the postcard photo
announcement is titillating to say the very least. In the photo only
the hand and forearm of the figure can be seen, but in the poised
fingertips there is such a provocative sense of feeling, of realized
emotion, that I am stunned each time I look at it. This in itself is
a kind of success.
So what makes one person successful at living out dreams while
another is suffering disillusionment? While it takes a lot of other
things to be a success -- talent not least among them in the case of
an artist -- full commitment without hesitation is a large part of
it. Providence is on the move in that “stream of events.” I think
that if you are a collector of art, you had better be at the Laguna
Art Museum tomorrow night with checkbook in hand, for Joshua B.C. Hoy
IS going to be a success. Count on it!
* CHERRIL DOTY is a creative living coach, writer, artist, and
walker who lives and works in Laguna Beach. Contact her by e-mail at
coach@cherrildoty.com or by phone at (949) 251-3993. Your comments
are appreciated.
All the latest on Orange County from Orange County.
Get our free TimesOC newsletter.
You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Daily Pilot.