Organic Mutant

A week ago today, a beloved uncle passed. He epitomized the artistic spirit and talent, wild nature, and unfulfilled promise that are the hallmarks of my family. That last part, I know, is a somewhat harsh thing to say, but you have to look at it from both sides. Some people lack the even the potential for greatness. My uncle was not one of those types. He was a master of the classical guitar, having played professionally since he was a teenager. His talent was so profoundly immense that he could have played on the grandest of stages and shone. Alas, his personal life never allowed him to pursue the opportunities that his talents merited.

Compared to myself, a marginally talented writer, skilled designer, and person of no particular musical talent, who through hard work (and with the support of family and friends) has achieved some level of accomplishment in each of those fields, my Uncle Vince was a man of towering abilities. It is true that he traveled widely as a young man, playing his guitar and singing across the US and in Europe. But it is more true that had he devoted himself to his artistic pursuits, he could have spent his whole life traveling, and likely achieved great artistic and financial rewards.

I don’t mean to a) seem to be judging him harshly or b) singling him out. But with his passing, we take a moment to reflect on his life, and to me he personifies the greatest and saddest tendencies of that side of my family. It is worth noting mostly as a reflection of our own tendencies, both to appreciate our own special gifts and to remind ourselves that our lives are temporary, and every day that we waste not tapping our potential is a day less of living life to its fullest.

Rest in peace, uncle.