My very talented husband

Rich has many talents. He is a great artist,comedian,musician and song writer. All of these things are very natural to him. No professional training was ever involved. Well, unless you count the art class his dad signed him up for in his pre-teen years where the teacher tried to teach things that Rich had taught himself years before that. He dropped out of the class due to severe boredom.

Rich doesn't know how to write music. He sings it the way he hears it in his head and then someone else writes it on paper for him. This is how it worked when he played in his cousin's band years ago. He wrote the most wonderful songs and people couldn't believe he wrote them.People usually under estimate him. They think because he is funny and appears care free that he doesn't feel as deeply as he does. They are always surprised by what comes out in his music and art. Last night when I got home from work, Rich sang a jazz song that he is in the process of writing. It gave me goose bumps. He is just so talented.

Rich also paints 25 mm lead toy soldiers. They are quite small but he paints the most incredible detail on each and every one of them. He war games with them and hopefully sometime soon he will be making chess sets and selling them online.They are one of a kind. He made one for his dad and brother in law years ago and they are works of art. They are also fun to play chess with!

So what does my artistic husband do for work? Nothing he likes. He is stuck in a horrible job with the worst "benefits"( I choke on that word) and no matter how hard he looks he can't find a better job. His dream is to one day own our own toy soldier store but until then he needs to have a job with benefits.

I hate to see this very talented man not get paid for his talent. It breaks my heart. Part of the problem, I believe, is that somewhere in the back of his mind he still hears his dad say that he will never make money in art. When Rich wanted to illustrate comic books his dad wanted him to get a "real" job for financial stability. No matter how grown up you are, you always hear your parents in your head. I want my husband to be happy with his career. I want him to have confidence in himself. Be proud. Go forth and make the dream happen. I still feel like Rich doesn't believe in himself the way that I believe in him. That's the real key, isn't it?

If you have followed your dream and now have a career you really love, please share your story with us. Maybe a little inspiration would help.