How did I arrive at this place that has a strangle hold on my heart and head? When what you are doing does not have a road map, you spend lots of time trying to explain the why (or at least that has been my experience). There is not an hour in the day that passes without a thought, explanation, inspiration or experience that reminds me how essential and important human connectivity is. The ongoing mental and emotional battle I struggle with is not being able to concisely articulate "The Why" of what I am doing because. On any given day, my reason will be different (my husband will be the first witness to confirm that…which always has him scratching his head and thinking it would be better for me to stick w/ photography). The list of whys is exhaustive. Here are just a few that are rattling through my mind today:
- Although there has been progress towards equality for all citizens, our country continues to be divided by color, religion, money, education, age, sexual preference, gender, politics and personal choices--ironically all things that make our country one of the best places in the world to live. There is constant conversation about diversity and the importance of equality for all but how do we move from conversation to action beyond individual groups having to fight to be understood and treated equally?
- The pace of our society and technological innovation is creating a heads down (or in the cloud) culture. Parents fear the amount of screen time their kids are having, but parents are just as heads down and tied into their devices and technology as their children. Everyday the younger generations are seeing this behavior modeled, why wouldn't they follow our lead? Technological connectivity is a part of life but instead of fearing and fighting it, we need to accept it and realize with the change we must consciously lift our heads and connect with the people in our reality. Of course, it is much easier to stay heads down and now we have an excuse to do just that...we appear busy and connected but, more often than not, we are more isolated and lonely.
- I clearly remember when I was little (I'm a '70s girl), our society was based on hope and prosperity. I remember consistently hearing this is the land of opportunity and anything is possible. There was a strong sense of national pride around the USA being a melting pot. Just a few decades later and the pride and positive messaging has been replaced with fear--fear of failure, fear of others, fear of dying, fear of not being good enough, on and on and on!! All this fear keeps us disconnected, questioning ourselves, questioning others, staying in our safe/comfort zone…DIVIDED. Human connectivity with people different than you is essential to quelling the prevailing fear-based messaging we are bombarded by daily.
- When I connect with new people, they often reflect back to me the beauty and inspiration I do not see in myself. This is fuel for my soul. I know I tend to focus on what I am insecure about It can be very depressing and isolating. Acquaintances and strangers never see us through the same lens we see ourselves (and they are often too busy thinking about what they suck at or how they look to be as critical of you as you are to your self). But it is scary because we assume people will see us for who we think we are…they don't…if you are open, willingly share a little about yourself, people will see you for WHO you are, which is a unique, one of a kind person.
- It could be a random 20 second or 20 minute connection…it doesn't take much…but when they happen, they can be spirit lifting whether it is a shared laugh with a stranger, a shared perspective with someone you wouldn't normally interact with, a new secret skill learned…it can make your day just a little bit better. So why wouldn't you be open to lifting your head and saying yellow??? (That is funny, that was a Freudian typo…I was actually thinking while I was typing that it isn't really just hello that will open the door, but a different question or remark…so maybe try saying yellow, not hello and see what happens!!)
You are probably getting the gist--I could go on and on, and I am not even sure if any of it is making sense…insert image of whirling dervish!! But the answer to each of the issues, I believe, is the importance of human connectivity. It matters and I must put my own insecurities aside and push my thoughts out and push on.
The one real truth I know is that life is super hard. SUPER HARD! Nobody is immune to the life virus. Regardless of who you are, where you were born, how old you are, how much money you have, what job you have, how much family you have…every single life is on its own roller coaster and no one is immune to struggle, hardship, illness, loneliness or fear. I remember when I was in my early 20s, I had zero idea of what I "wanted to do with my life"(the WORST question asked incessantly to teenagers & young adults). I remember thinking, "I can't wait until I am 40 because then, at least I will know the answer and what I am doing with my life. It will be so much easier then…" I'm there...my 40s...my self-portrait, resume, accomplishments and family have changed, but life is not any easier. Maybe my assumption that this is true for all people is off, but I can only go with what I know. LIFE IS HARD!! But what I have learned is that the connections I have made in my life and being able to share my truth and struggles with others has helped me better move through life, find support, find inspiration, find commiseration, find acceptance and self-love instead of diving off the deep end. And so, at 43, I cannot fully answer the Why Me question, but I know that I cannot ignore it. I found this quote before the new year that deeply resonated with me.
.jpg)
I hope you will follow me down this path aways and then create a few of your own! You never know when you will impact someone or when you will be impacted but both will happen if you connect!
No comments:
Post a Comment