The original writing on this little piece of cyber real estate was published on October 3, 2016. It came to life when I was seven months sober, so it has been parked on WordPress for nearly five years—and it has served as the second mini-chapter of the tale of my recovery—a story that was titled “Unteach Me.”
Continue reading “Rewriting Your Story”
After 3 years and 10 months of being on this blog, and while suffering from COVID-itis (also known as having extra time and trying to make good use of it), I’ve decided… WHAT THE HECK, let’s go back to the beginning.
Something I’ve realized is that our stories get old. They become stale. When looking back from a new perspective, we see and feel things differently than we did in the past. Maybe we’ve learned more about our lives and our experiences and we need to expand on our old ideas. Or perhaps we find that some of the chapters we’ve lived are no longer relevant to our story; they’re history, and they no longer serve a purpose. Either way, each person’s story is their own, and it’s up to them to make use of it.
I’ve hemmed and hawed about what to do with my 4 year old story. I thought about taking it down— deleting the old pages—because it feels outdated to me, and I fear it’s value has expired. But, after much deliberation and consideration, I’ve decided that it would be more interesting and worthwhile to change it up, or “RE-write” the story—from a totally new perspective.
In the Beginning was first shared on October 2, 2016. It was my very first post, and the very first chapter of my ongoing “real life” story. That’s a lot of firsts. This particular chapter focused on when my problems all started; adolescence. What I’ve learned since writing it, is that fear, loneliness, and confusion are common at that age, and there are many people who had the same exact thoughts, feelings and/or experiences during these young years (and beyond).
I think the key take-away here is that we are never as alone as we think we are, we just can’t find that out unless we are willing to open up and share. That being said, I’ve turned this old chapter into a poem about teenage angst, and the crucial thing that I was lacking in those days… faith.
Innocence flutters away,
As self-awareness blooms,
Philosophy fills the mind,
With questions that consume.
Who am I? Why am I here?
What will I become?
What’s the reason for living?
And where did life come from?
Something inside of us shifts,
At this “coming of age,”
We begin to wear our masks,
And the world becomes our stage.
It’s a crossroads we all face,
Never sure which way to turn,
The directions seem unclear, and…
There are lessons we will learn.
Be strong, and choose wisely my child,
For so many will deceive,
But One will always guide you right,
And all those who ask…
Receive.
I created a new featured image as well… a little pink to represent the wonders of my innocence and youth.
Life is good, and God is great!
READ MORE POSTS IN THIS SERIES
In The Beginning
Rewriting Your Story
The sky is ablaze,
Logic is lost in anger,
Winds of change are here.
I needed to work on some art, and post some words today. Ronovan Writes Haiku Challenge: Anger & Logic sort of landed right in front of me at the right moment.
I’m doing a lot of praying over here. Black lives matter indeed, and that is not a new idea to me. Seeing the hatred and anger that I’ve seen lately, on the other hand, simply brings me to tears. I’m just heartbroken. I’m trying to stay off of social media because I see nothing but daggers being thrown around in there. I hope my Haiku says something good. It’s a bit ambiguous, but change is coming.
Anyway, I pray that resolutions come swiftly and peacefully, and that great progress is made. Life is good, and God is so, so great. We are all a part of His wonderful tapestry, woven out of magnificent colors, so let’s celebrate our diversity with love.
Since I’m still excited about personalized portraits (and waiting for my next victim) I thought I’d play around with a new style this weekend. This one’s an old family photograph that’s been circulating in my “circle.”
The original was scanned, and pretty small, so the task was to figure out how to keep it from getting stretched and pixelated. I decided to do it in black and white, turn it into an old Polaroid, and then add a background to frame it. If you haven’t guessed already (and why would you), I’m the little blonde in shorts sitting up front—on my Aunt’s lap. The tall, dark, and handsome man straight behind me in the very back is my dad (who is sadly, no longer with us), and next to him (on his left) is my mom.
I’m going to take a guess and say that this photo was taken in the late 60’s. Yikes. The good ol’ days indeed.
A phrase used by old people. When these words are used in combination it is a signal to young people to get the hell out. “Ahh yes the Good Ol’ Days. Did I ever tell you about the time we rode the train from St. Louis to San Diego?” (this is where you leave)
Definition courtesy of Urban Dictionary.
Sometimes a dramatic rescue is a simple act of showing up.
This piece is all about Gil. I think of him when I see red, especially if it’s an emergency vehicle. He’s the kind of person that just shows up. I’m extremely grateful for his friendship, ear, wisdom, and his extraordinary ability to point people in the right direction— Up.
I took some photos a few years back, when my friend and I visited him at the Station. I wanted to create something bold and exciting… something to represent the “constant motion” that is everything Gil.
So…this one’s for you my friend.
This image is actually one of my favorites in the Everything Red series so far. It’s kind of an abstract, faceless portrait.
Anyway, I thought I’d wrap it up with these 7 Points from one of his favorite people.
-Be true to yourself.
John Wooden
-Help others.
-Make each day your masterpiece.
-Drink deeply from good books, especially the Bible.
-Make friendship a fine art.
-Build a shelter against a rainy day.
-Pray for guidance and count and give thanks for your blessings everyday.
Peace & Love!
A Minor Scuffle on the Beach
