It is important to discover who we are, so that way we can connect with others. It is important to discover who we are, so that we can discover mans finite existence on earth.
Yesterday at THE PLAY TANK, it was all fun. We were given an incentive to aide us in getting our creative juices flowing. Personally I would like to get my creative juices flowing. I feel that life has gotten the best of me and I have become less inspired within these past few years. I used to write and write till I developed calluses on my fingers [writers mark]. The incentive was to share a creative play moment as a child and right away so many memories came to mind. But the most playful moment I had to have had, where I just allowed my imagination to take over was when I tried to run away. Children are easily gullible and impressionable. Growing up I had a favorite movie with a favorite character. Pippy Long Stockings. She was a nomad, a rebel and I wanted to be her. She was a freckled face red haired girl. And in my mind I became her. I would venture off in my room encountering different obstacles but over-coming it because that is what Pippy Long Stocking did. She managed to get out of sticky situations. She had no parents to answer to.
I remember clearly becoming angry at both of my parents one day. That was nothing new because I was notorious for my temper and fits of rage as a kid. No I was not the only child just very stubborn and had a strong character, still do till this day. But boy did she inspire me. So I plotted to run away. To make a run for it. Not having a clue of what running away really entailed, I put on my dress just like Pippy Long Stockings and packed my little red suitcase that read “On My Way to Grandma’s House” in Spanish. Did I bother to pack clothes? No! I was like 6 years old all I cared about were my toys and art supplies. So I packed all of that. And I don’t know if you remember the old cartoons when hobo’s would pack their belongs inside of a handkerchief tied to a broom stick at the end, throwing it over their shoulder. I have seen it on Charlie Brown , so I called it THE CHARLIE BROWN stick. I packed all of my “belongings” and wrote a good bye letter, slidding it underneath their bedroom door. It read “Dear Mom and Dad, I hope that you are sad, I ran away because I was very bad. I know that this is very hard. But when I see you in 5 years I will give you a card.” I was 6 years old doing this! What child does this? So as soon as I walked out the front door my parents locked it behind me. I did not know they were in on it, cracking up behind the door. They thought it was amusing. I took a BIG risk right there at 6 years old. I went out into the unknown not sure if I was fully prepared or equipped. I had second thoughts like , hey I have no shoes on I can’t go outside, I don’t even have any money. I can’t do this, I want to go back to my comfort zone, MY ROOM!
After sharing that playful story with everyone I realized the comparison of that moment with life now. In life we are afraid to take creative risks. We afraid of jumping into something or trying something because we don’t know the outcome. We do not know what to expect. We feel as if we are not prepared to face what is out there, so we want to withdraw and go back into our hiding place, our safety zone. But if we don’t take that risk, we will never know what will happen. We will never know what is lying out there inside of us. If I would have proceeded with running away, what would have happened? I still wonder till this day. Would I have been kidnapped? Will my parents have went after me? Will I have been discovered my an talent agent and become a child star? It’s always the “what ifs” that linger in your mind. I think we have the wisdom now to practice good judgement calls when it comes to taking risks. We know when not to, but then we know WHEN TO , but we withdraw out of fear. You do not know what opportunities you pass up by not taking creative risks.If you feel passionate about something, I say give it a shot. If it does not work out then it does not, at least you did it and tried. Life is all about risks, do you have the courage inside of you to actually take these risks? Reflect on it and ask yourself. You never know what could happen.
