The Romans called a person’s natural disposition for certain ways one’s “genius”. The Greeks called it ones “daemon”. One had to labour in gratitude for their disposition so to become “genial”, or fully potent. 1/
A gift—one’s genius—isn’t fully realised until it is given away. But we cannot fully, potently receive the gift until we can meet it as an equal. That is, to labour in its service. 2/
Labour is done without obligation. It happens at its own pace, and we barely remember producing the results. Whereas work is obligated and only happens by will. 3/
Without labour, genius becomes narcissism. One displays himself, rather than suffer change. /4 
…summarising from Lewis Hyde’s The Gift 🦅
“Down and out in Paris and London”, five years in the woods reading, the unfulfilled potential, wandering, its all actually labour in gratitude to one’s daemon. Unavoidable. And quite fun.
