Our hearts take the shapes of countries, people, foods, vocations - rich & individual like ripening strawberries - all fantastically delicious and seductive yet all different from one another. What a glorious situation for the human race, really; that we should have so many gorgeous selections of possible friends, mates, family members. The differences give us innovation, art, triumphs! Without the differences, there wouldn't be progress or even joy, in my opinion.
The trouble is, of course, that most of us keep our fantastically shapely hearts locked away in boxes, never allowing them to find a natural fit into this world. Sadly then, from the outside, all our hearts look the same. Not to mention of course that millions of cube shaped hearts clamoring for only thousands of cube-shaped spaces make for some pricey real estate in the cube-shaped world!
It costs us to want what everybody else says they want. It costs us in terms of our sanity, our clarity, our peace & our pocketbooks. We fool ourselves into believing that it is safer to desire that which Oprah (for example) says is desirable. After all, if we want what she wants, who could fault us? If we wear what our friends wear they'll never criticize us. If we keep our dreams scaled back to what magazines tell us to wish for - well - we can be sure to have defenders should anyone outside of the circle of conformity question us.
"But, but.. I have the top of the line car, the latest phone, designer label clothes! I am immune to judgment!" Nevermind that it might be breaking your bank account, I can guarantee it's breaking your spirit.
It was a calculated decision back in June this year, for me to leave my secure & well paid government job. It was calculated and it was extremely personal. Spiritual, even. I was giving in to the overwhelming pull that told me that this was the wrong path. I had already sped past so many "DANGER!" and "TURN BACK NOW!" and "ROAD ENDS!" signs along my so called 'career path' that to some it probably seemed a safe bet that I'd just keep doing more of the same. That's what most of us do, after all. My Grandfather would tell you that that's what 'good people' do.
I agree. Good people do do that. Too many good people do that. I want them to stop. That would be revolutionary.
All this is to say that I let my heart out of its box and now look - only 5 months later my dream is coming true. My heart is shaped like France, like my family, like a pan of steamed mussels straight from the Mediterranean Sea - it is shaped like a canvas, and like the words I write. My heart has gotten what it wanted and I think the world is better for it.
Dare to breathe the sound of your deepest wishes into the night air. Live like you know you will achieve your goals. Let your heart out of its box, and see it slide into its rightful place in the world.
2 comments:
Sounds like life is going well for you , very nice, Gina
I'm so glad that you're pursuing your dream, even though you didn't get the chance to do it when you were younger. It's like that line from that famous poem...what happens to a dream deferred? Good for you for taking the risk in giving up the job. Yes, there are benefits to it. There is also a lot of gossip, negativity, corrosiveness, favourtism (I could go on). If you knew that you had a talent and it wasn't going to be achieved, it was a good choice. Now others can share your art with you.
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