Today's Musings
What it Means to be an Adult at Any Age
I saw a post on social media yesterday that made me smile in recognition of a shift in my own life and work. It pointed to the fact that when we as a human race grow up and act like adults, the world around us will respond positively to that shift. I’m paraphrasing here. Those were not the same words, but what struck me was the fact that it was only recently in my own life, after 70 plus years of living, that I am experiencing my own maturity in that regard. Strange, since my age would suggest otherwise, but what I’m referring to is not age as much as the willingness to accept total responsibility for who I am and employ that to affect change.
Children have no one to consider except themselves. They are in a continual state of development and their only “job” is to grow up. Not that we ever stop growing, but there comes a stage of maturity when we are grown up enough to be the ones guiding those on the path behind us. We have benefited from the wisdom of those who have walked the path before us, but at some point, we must realize that the wisdom and experience we’ve gained from them is now part of our makeup and we’re ready to be the leaders as well as the followers. There will always be those more advanced in areas where we haven’t delved deeply, those we continue to derive great wisdom from as we evolve. However, in the areas where we have done our deepest work, where our unique path has lead us, we can now take on the role of guide and mentor. It is our responsibility to do so.
Some of you closest to me know a bit about the life I lived. You’ve heard bits and pieces of the trauma, the loss, the heartbreak that was my life. There were instances when I shared more publicly about some of that as I was guided to, when I thought that it might be helpful to others going through similar things. And I was correct given the feedback I received. Throughout the past few years as I began sharing my journey and my artwork, the response has been heartwarming. I’ve felt pulled to share more, because I had a sense I was making a difference.
My artwork was very personal to my journey back then and as such, difficult for some of you to absorb. It asked a lot of you, I know. I wasn’t creating wall decor. I was sharing my heart and soul, my aches and joys and sometimes the difficult downloads from the other side that were guiding me to my next steps. My art was a major way for me to see exactly where I was and what I was not aware of on a conscious level. In sharing that, it might have touched a nerve for some of you and been too uncomfortable to sit with. On the outside it was beautiful to look at, but the energy contained within might have been too heavy for your wall. That’s not always a good fit for over a sofa, but it was my path and I was true to it. I’m not a simple person and my art is as complex as I am. We both require a bit extra to get the full effect, if you know what I mean!
Over these past couple of years as I began sharing more, exposing more of myself and my journey, something began to shift. It became clear at the beginning of 2023, when I sensed that the messages coming through in my art were more universal than just personal to me. Spirit was guiding me gently towards this new way of being without me even realizing it. I was joining the human race in a whole new way, reaching out to connect, to give, to receive, to become part of a community of souls. The isolation I had felt all my life was no longer acceptable and I found one way of connecting. For awhile I didn’t feel so alone and I also felt that somehow I was giving that same sense of connection to others through my art and writing.
Going forward into 2024, I am clear on a few things, if only a few. One of those is that it is now my time to take responsibility for who I am and what I have to offer. Not to toot my own horn, but to own the gifts I have and use them to the fullest in service of a greater calling. The work I create, the words that I write, the path that I walk, though unique to me, are also the vehicles I use to facilitate transformation for others. My life has been devoted to that for as long as I can remember. It’s just who I am. I am an agent of transformation. Being an “adult” in this world, means that I use who I am and the tools I have developed to help the greater good, to help the rest of humanity grow themselves up and contribute their gifts. By no means am I saying that I have all the answers, for myself or anyone else. What I AM saying is that through this great shift in my life, I have come out the other side both a newborn and a wise old soul, ready to stand in my own shoes and speak my truth. What I create are some of the tools of transformation that I use to communicate with and touch others.
I ask you to consider your own life, where you might shy away from fully owning your own power and brilliance. Are you aware of how magnificent you are? Have you looked beyond the surface, deep within your own eyes and touched your soul?
This life we call “real”, is our school house to learn and develop our gifts, to enjoy the pleasure of our sensual nature, and to experience the emotions that only humans can feel. But, that is not all there is.
At some point we all must graduate from our school years and take what we have learned out into the world to create and contribute. Never to stop learning, but to be both student and teacher, follower and leader. As an adult in this world, it is our task to stand in our own unique beauty and power, our wisdom gained and our gifts fully utilized, contributing to those who look to us for guidance and help. That is not hubris. It is self esteem. It is self respect. And that is a beautiful and powerful thing to behold.
Art can be a tool of transformation, a portal into a whole new way of being and experiencing yourself. It's a little like magic in action. You don't have to know how it works. You just have to be open to the possibility.
2024
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