Artistry With Words

So much I did not notice about life in my youth.  The seeds had been planted, and perhaps seedlings had broken ground when I was pre-teen, but a full-on, total immersion in the appreciation of life, that took time.

One of my favorite childhood memories was actually an action of inaction, laying down on the grass, under the massive willow tree on our property, watching as the thin branches swayed in the breeze, pillows floating above it all, a feeling of distinct peace swelling me beyond the proportions of such a young boy.  Without knowing how to verbalize such things, I was at peace in the world, feeling as though I did belong, feeling as though I did fit in the grander scheme of the universe, feeling small and yet capable.

Those feelings were fleeting back in those days. Finding my footing, deciphering ethereal clues, that took time.  In my twenties I found more answers in nature, hiking trails, scaling peaks, pushing limits, crossing cirques, tiptoeing ridges, being one with, making love to a world above the clouds, body and mind melding, and that feeling of belonging increased, that appreciation increased, answers to long unanswered questions took shape.  I learned how to feel sights. I learned how to hear shapes. I learned that transformations take precious time, in nature, in ourselves, and patience accompanied that knowledge.

One feels small in nature.  One feels, at times, insignificant, a tiny speck on the canvas of life, and in feeling that there are two opposing reflections: one, that you are meaningless and two, that you are one of a kind, among billions of similar miracles, unique in DNA.  The Yin and Yang of it all, meaningless and yet completely invaluable.

As the years accumulate, I am left with increasing reflections, and those reflections lead to great appreciations.  I do not work as hard as I once did. I see no need in it. I take more time to enjoy walks, enjoy talks with my partner, and enjoy the fine Art of Living.  I am comfortable within, amused by the changes to my exterior, and much more accepting of others.  We all struggle. We all have days when we wake up and feel foreign, you know, like we just don’t fit, and that affects our moods and our actions and, well, I need to realize that on a regular basis and cut my fellow travelers some slack.

Just relax!  Breathe deeply!  Take a gander around me, immerse myself in the wonder of it all. Find a willow tree to lay under, and time-machine back to those early days, back when I instinctively knew what was really important, what was vital for my happiness . . .

Loving others, loving myself, and being grateful for every single day I’m allowed to be a part of this magical mystery tour!  That’s what it all comes down to, cutting through the bullshit, setting aside all of the mundane we think is so important, all of the nonsense we spend so many years chasing, yearning for, bottom line, the final word, is . . .

Love!

Bill

“Helping writers to spread their wings and fly.”