LOH #241>>>>Loosing one to gain more.

While growing up, I never really understood the significance of what my mom was asking me to do every time school was on break.

She would have me go over to her friend's hair salon to assist her friend who owned the salon. At first I was intrigued and my curiosity piqued. I did whatever I was asked to do in the shop without complaining. Trust me, my mom's friend was really demanding.

She had no apprentice and it wasn't until I was about three months with her that I finally understood that I was under her tutelage as an apprentice. It was a period of happiness and sadness for me.

Happiness because I was happy to be learning a new skill but the sad part of it was that I had little time for rest and play as every holiday, I would be at her salon. Soon, it paid off as I could make ladies' hair. I was very happy with my achievement at that time.

About nine years later, after I was done learning hair styling skills, I went to work for a leather production company. This company dealt with the production of leather bags, shoes, belts and military boots.

Before we were to commence work fully, we were trained by Spanish experts who were good in that line of work and so for another six months, I went through intense training on shoe making but my area of specialization was on stitches. I had to learn to stitch up leather accessories before they would be processed into finished products.

It was not easy at the initial learning phase. I had to learn to thread a sewing machine. I also had to learn to control the pedal as it was an electric sewing machine. I had to learn a whole lot of new things at a very fast pace.

There were times that I broke more needles in a day than I could count and there were times when the needles broke through my flesh as well. Yes, the needles poked me so bad that I wanted to give up but then I knew that giving up wasn't an option.

Many of my colleagues were already dressmakers who made use of the local butterfly seeing machine. They didn't find it too difficult handling an electric machine. They even said to me that ”a needle poking you is a right of passage”.....huh!🙄

Well, I didn't give up. I learnt and after six months, I passed the training with flying colours and was made a junior supervisor for the stitching department. From sewing leather products, the company broadened it's scope to seeing fabric accessories.

I learnt to sew bags, belts, hats and slippers out of fabrics. It was yet another challenge but not one that I couldn't conquer. I ended up working for up to ten years in that company, garnering a plethora of knowledge.

I never really monetized my hair making skills. I only use it on my close family and friends whenever they need my help. So if I were to forget one skill for another, then I would gladly forget my hair making skills to my sewing skills.

I said that because I really enjoyed the times I spent learning how to sew on a sewing machine. I loved the technicalities involved in bringing out a well stitched shoe design or other designs for that matter.

Having a skill set is good but having the one you are passionate about is better and greater. A skill set that is mixed with passion can propel one to becoming a money magnate in that field.

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_{Thank you for reading. This is my response to the 2nd question prompted by the #ladiesofhive weekly contest #241}

Images used are mine.