Finding Your Howl

Link to “Finding Your Howl” by Jonathon Flaum: http://changethis.com/manifesto/51.01.YourHowl/pdf/51.01.YourHowl.pdf

            In Jonathon Flaum’s article, “Finding Your Howl”, he references a story by Robert Frost about how the nearly extinct species of red wolves were brought into captivity. The wolves produced offspring that were released back into the wild. However, they didn’t know how to howl, and were lost and scared. Many of the wolves wanted to go back to captivity, but one wolf strived to find his howl instead of go back there. Flaum uses this story as an example of how we can find our one of a kind authentic voice, just like the wolf eventually found his howl.

            Some of my favorite lyrics are in the song “Fix Me” by the band 10 Years. The lyrics in the chorus go: “I’m fine in the fire, I feed on the friction, I’m right where I should be, don’t try and fix me.” This speaks to me in general but it speaks to me as a creative person as well. I’ve always been a creative person and even since I was young I have loved to draw and write. About 3 years ago I took up playing the drums. Now that I am in college my creative side is still with me as I am earning my degree in audio production. I think these lyrics speak to me now more than ever.

            Life is hard. You can argue this point all you want but eventually you will lose because life is hard, especially adult life. That doesn’t mean that it’s not worth it, because it is. All the effort you put into your education or career is going to benefit you one day and you will be grateful if you do put forth the effort. The first few lyrics of the song: “I’m fine in the fire, I feed on the friction”, help to put this into perspective for me. Fire can burn you, friction slows you down, and life can do these things and more to you. However, I’m fine with that. Of course I don’t like it, but I know if I work hard to get a good education and get a good career then I will be fine. I’ve started to realize that school is a lot of hard work and there is a lot of competition for jobs these days, especially in the field I want to get in to. But the fire is here to stay and I must brave through it to get to the good things in life.

            The second part of the chorus: “I’m right where I should be, don’t try and fix me”, speaks to me as a creative person as well. As I’ve said, I have always been a creative person. I’ve always known that I’ve wanted to be in a creative and entertainment media type of career. Even when I would have doubts I eventually came back to realizing that this is what I want to do and it is what I’m meant to do. My mom told me that she didn’t think a creative career in media would be very stable, and that if the economy got really bad, entertainment would be the first thing to go. She said it might not be the best option career wise and I know she was just trying to help me. For a while I listened, but I realized that this is who I am. I am a creative person and nobody should be trying to “fix me” or change me from who I am and what I want to be. Once I chose audio production she seemed a little happier, so I guess everything worked out.

            That is why those lyrics speak to me as a creative person. I know the path to my career is going to be filled with hard work and I may struggle now and then. But I know the rewards are going to be worth it. I also know that this is who I am, this is what I want, and this is what I am meant to do. Tying back in to what Jonathon Flaum says about finding our howl, it may take us a while and be filled with challenges, but in the end it is worth it to find our own unique, one of a kind voice that defines who we are.