Engineeringtalk

I didn't have good weather during my summer holiday in the south of France this year. One night last week, a treacherous thunderstorm hit the small thirteenth century village where I was staying with astonishing intensity.

In fact, the strength of the storm was so great that it created a river in the narrow streets, a river that rose so high that it found its way in through the front door of the townhouse that I was renting, creating a beastly mess in my Salle A Manger.

Somewhat concerned, I thought it best to inform the owner of the property who, rather fortuitously given the weather, lived only minutes away. After a brief explanation of the problem, and the acquisition of a somewhat odd looking mop, I prepared to return to deal with the floodwaters.

But before I could leave, the owner invited me to examine some of his work. As it transpired, he was an artist of some repute and his atelier was awash with some very magnificent paintings.

Apparently, the artist in question hadn't always lived in the south of France. Like all the great French painters, at some point in his life he had resided in Paris. And after a brief tour of his collection privee, he showed me a photograph of the rather grand estate that he had once owned there, replete with tennis court and swimming pool.

His passion and talent for painting had served him well. And he admitted that he had been able to command a considerable price for each of his works, earning enough to afford to live a life of relative luxury.

But while he was pleased to have been well rewarded for his creations, he was eager to point out that the money he had made was of secondary importance to him. He had led his life pursuing the single goal of painting magnificent works of art. The cash had simply followed as a result.

Some might say that art and engineering don't have much in common. But like the world of art, the engineering field is also replete with many individuals who have also become well off by pursing their passions above all else. And they would all admit that it's their enthusiasm for the subject matter, rather than the desire to acquire massive amounts of wealth, that motivates them.

So if you ever find yourself in a position where you feel that your talent either as an engineer or an artist is being wasted, take some action and do something about it. We all have potential to become world class, it's simply a question of finding the appropriate field in which we can excel and then pursuing our goals with a vengeance.

As for me, I have discovered that I have a most unusual talent for mopping up the dining rooms of flooded French houses. Unfortunately, this new found ability is most unlikely to command enough money to allow me to buy such an abode and then retire in comparative luxury. Perhaps I ought to look out my old tubes of Egg Tempura instead.