One of my favorite Disney movie lyrics is from the opening segment of The Lion King: "From the time we arrive on the planet and, blinking, stare into the sun, there is more to see than can ever be seen, more to do than can ever be done. . ." Each time I hear those words from "The Circle of Life" I understand and agree with them more.

Put another way, the world is a giant smorgasbord, but there's just not enough time in one life to sample it all.

I guess I've always been a liberal-arts sort of person. In college, I enjoyed learning a little of this and studying a little of that, but there was never any one subject that compelled me into further, in-depth study. Eventually, I found myself at Yale University Press in the direct mail department, compiling entries for catalogues advertising their very scholarly books. It was amazing to see some of the titles and subject matter.

 One of the first books I noticed was a slim volume entitled Slavery and Society in Medieval Scandinavia. A short book, yes, but I came to realize that no matter the size, most books published there represent someone's commitment, dedication and dogged research. Often, the pages were the culmination of a life's work on a subject. Such immersion and absorption in one area of discipline is admirable, but it's not for everyone. Some people are marathon runners. Others are sprinters. 

Several years ago the valedictorian of my high school class received her Ph.D. in genetics from Stanford University. Through her doctoral studies and after, she has been involved in the Human Genome Project which, as I understand it, is painstakingly analyzing and mapping the entire DNA sequence of human genes. I'm not exactly sure how many people hours it takes, but it probably requires more patience than finding that annoying addition error in an otherwise balanced checkbook, so it's not the place for me. I'd get itchy spending more than a week on the same gene.

I need variety in my life. Change is, mostly, a welcome and stimulating experience to me, as long as I can understand where it's coming from and where it's leading. Some people, however, rely on a sense of continuity and routine to each successive day. Shifting gears too quickly leaves them shaking their heads in confusion.

Luckily, there is no right or wrong answer to this question. Every individual is an important part of the whole production. We all have a part to play. It's just that we can't all have the starring role.

Have you ever seen the number of names listed in the credits of a hit movie? Stars like Julia Roberts or Brad Pitt may get top billing, but there are hundreds of people doing their own specialized tasks, from key grip to makeup artists. Being one of a dozen makeup artists on a movie set might not seem as meaningful in the scheme of life as genetic research, but I'd rather be a great makeup artist than a lousy scientist.

Last year I took the Myers-Briggs Personality Typing test. Going through the process answered some questions I've always had about why I'm better at some things and not as good at others. The most important thing I learned from this experience was that while it's possible to overcome or compensate for problem personality traits, it doesn't always
make sense to go against the natural grain.

In other words, you can either paddle one mile upstream or use that same time and effort to go ten miles downstream. It all depends on where you want to be at the end of the journey.

The all-you-can-eat buffet of life is full of possibilities, but it's a limited time offer. I suggest we all check out the dessert table now so we don't miss out on something wonderfully delicious.

Kay Hafner, a writer from Queensbury, says she never met a buffet line she didn't like. If you have some feedback on this column or suggestions on what to add to the menu for future entries, she can be reached at [email protected].

copyright � Kay Hafner 2000