Letting the Past Ride Along

     Accomplishments should be celebrated, not just for the one time, but for whenever we want to contemplate them. Shouldn't we carry the pleasure of accomplishment with us for the rest of our lives? Why not?

     That does not mean looking for an award. It means remembering the parts of our journey that were meaningful and successful, using those times to drive us toward continued wellness. When we create, it alters us. A photograph taken, music made, jewelry crafted, scarf knitted, poem written; all are using a piece of who we are becoming. A grandmother's quilted tablecloth, even when fraying, still carries the touch of her hand. No effort should be labeled as a waste, or labeled with a shelf life. No accomplishment should be looked at as some gauge or measuring tool, taking away from its true usefulness.

     Even when material gifts or creations wear away, those creations have already become a part of the fabric of our life. If we stop making music or art, or stop writing, it's not a time for mourning. We can instead look toward the time when that part of ourselves will find another way of being connected and fulfilled. There is no rule that says if we have created something once upon a time, we are obligated to redo that part of our potential in the same formula or the same manifestation.

     Too many grieve over some accomplishment from the past, when our path shifts away from it toward another opportunity. Let's not waste our potential for other meaningful parts of ourselves to explore.

Plugging Back In

     When my phone charger cord was misplaced, I used my tablet charger instead. But it didn't fit my phone as well and if it wasn't positioned exactly right, came undone.

     This scenario reminded me of when we may try connecting to things that aren't fitting well. It's as if we misplaced the empowering thing, and the battery draining indicator appears. It's a sinking feeling, majorly disappointing and even ominous.

     There was that day when things felt connected; like riding on a wave of inspiration. Later on after the day was done, I couldn't understand the feeling of letdown and disconnection again. But then I remembered how the road toward wellness does twist and turn, and even seems like going in circles; but the spirals are still moving forward. Each time we find wellness or don't, we are learning how to get there.

Imaginary Protocols

     Limitations we may automatically put in place are not always needed. We may invent protocols for projects that don't need to be there, quantifying progress in ways that don't help our journey.

     Imaginary protocols can create fear of failure. That fear is useless, it steals any inspiration to try. Lately I've been pursuing a new artistic venture that has the potential to create many interesting days, more connection to that part of my identity that contributes to a feeling of wholeness. With every step toward success it is possible to stop adding layers of qualifications that do not belong in the equation.

     For ventures that are supposed to add freedom of thought and feeling, it is not fair to apply grades of "pass or fail". Where in the world do we find an absolute place to earn a medal of competence? There is no medal, and rightly so. Competence is not part of the recipe for pure expression, which comes from truth and the desire to reach out for connection with self or others.