We went to Minakami, which means “many gods” or “all the gods in one place” depending on who you talk to, because Amelia has a friend from her church who long ago befriended a potter named Euan Craig. Craig is an Australian man who has long lived in Japan, first studying and now teaching the art form.

Minakami is a little off the beaten path, home to an artistic village that brings tourists in the summer and feels quiet in the off season. Think of the Arts Walk section of Asheville, but not so big. Lots of fruit orchards in Minakami as well, some cherry, some apple.

Euan made us cappuccino in his beautiful house (1870s, traditional Japan style with sliding doors and all) full of pottery. He and Amelia talked about their mutual friend Alexis, who at age 91 felt he couldn’t make the trip to see Euan. Alexis and Euan have never met face to face, just corresponded for years online.  

Euan gave Amelia a small mug to take back to Alexis, and told us bits and pieces of his (Euan’s) life story. At age 14 he made a list of things he did and didn’t want from his life and career. From this list his options whittled down to being a potter, so off he went to learn the art form. A few chance encounters sent him overseas, and a few friendships enabled him to study with a master potter or two.

Euan was very intentional about his life. He knew what he wanted and invested the time, money, and relationships to learn to do it. Some people are straight line go-getters, some are gentle curves, and some are squiggles—they set out in the straight line but get distracted into something else. Fairly often, that something else turns out to be wonderful, but sometimes it ties itself in a knot and chokes their dreams out of them.

There’s not one way to get life right, of course, but those who discover themselves early get a lot of credit for not letting anything knock them off course. More power to them, and that’s an awesome way to live. Euan’s house radiates peace and contentment, like his cat.

Oddly enough, Euan’s life set me to thinking about Brian, one of my favorite doctors. First he was a mail carrier. Then he was a stay at home dad. Then he decided to take the MCAT (the exam to get into medical school) some time in his thirties. Now he’s one of the best medical providers in Appalachia.

Some people go straight there, Some people circle. Some people meander. Perhaps those who double back on themselves look a little less focused, not so much winners as wanderers. This strikes me as too simplistic. Getting knocked off course can be miserable; of course it can. But the misery doesn’t need to be self-depreciation or absorbing other people’s “you’re HOW old and you’re just starting?” Here’s a shout out to the people who enjoy the journey, be it linear or arcing, long or short. Euan and Brian each wound up in a place of contented fulfillment, enriching the lives of others. Isn’t that the joy of the journey?