n the beginning, we all start out small. We munch our way through leaves; gathering our strength, to one day explore life beyond the branch.
We are content to spend
our day inching along branches. We devour each leaf completely ignorant as to the why. We just do it. We don’t question when the next leaf will show up or fear there isn’t enough leaves to go around.
We live in the moment. We are numb to monotony. We aren’t biding time rather we meet each day with excitement and anticipate the magical moments awaiting us.
Once we land, we do not lament the horror of the fall nor do we stay frozen with fear nor do we curse the branch that did not support us. We immediately begin again. We move forward, inching along, starting from where gravity placed us; content to explore the path before us and curious to devour what ever we can along the way.
In the beginning, we are wild and free.
To be continued…
What are your dreams? How do you define wild and free? Do you need to begin again? Are you still gathering leaves? If so, What are you gathering? What are you building? What have you begun?
The answers to these questions will provide great insight and clarity as to where you are on your creative journey, where you've been and where you're going.
I suggest taking a few moments and exploring these questions in a journal and then creating a piece of art celebrating what you've realized.
As Artists, this can be a simple exercise that supports our creations - on and off the page. Now back to you, what do you think? Please let me know by leaving your comment below.
10 Comments | What are your creative thoughts?:
Dear Stephey-first of all, I must say that I am totally impressed by your website!!! Did you do all of this yourself? It is simply stunning! Seriously! And your content is thought-provoking as well-rich and informative. In response to your caterpillar post...I think after my daughter was born...things changed a lot for me. I don't really have the time to be scared now (!!!) , I just put one foot in front of the other and try to get things done. Plus...after Flying Lessons...I am really trying to honor my small beginnings because there is magic in the humility of our journeys. Kelly expressed this so articulately. I am content with being a caterpillar...maybe that comes with age too:)
I always love visiting you here ~ your words are always so uplifting! I started paving my creative dream just a year ago, i was really inspired by all the wonderful artists i found on etsy ~ it opens a new possibity to me that there are people out there living their dreams, doing what they love and living life like it matter most. And that was when i realize that it is also possible for me. I hope you are having a lovely merry happy weekend and love to you!
loved the caterpillar analogy and the questions to answer. wrote about on my blog.
I enjoyed your creative writing. This gave me a lot to think about. Wild and free? How do I define that...I think it is a place that I am trying to get back to. I hear whispers from a time when I was wild and free, but I've lost a lot of that. And as for falling, I've fallen quite a few times, but I think I am on the right track toward living authentically--listening to my soul and inner voice that knows what I need/am meant to do. Thanks! I look forward to the to be continued...
Hmmm...wild and free. I think that is a place I'm trying to get back to. I remember vaguely what that feels like, but I think I've lost a little bit of that part of myself. As far as falling, I've done that many times, but I think I am finally on the right track to live authentically and listen to my inner voice, the true me that knows what I am meant to do. Thanks for posting this...I look forward to the to be continued...
Munch away, change is inevitable for you little caterpillar, as is one phase of our life is into another.
Hi Soraya Nulliah!
Thanks so much for stopping by and sharing your wonderful insights! I too feel it's necessary to "just put one foot in front of the other." Sometimes all that needs to be done is letting go and getting on!
and yes. I designed the site, so glad you like it! I'm also a creative director at studio-baker. i not only design sites + blogs for artist's and small business in the healing world but during the process i help release the blocks that are in the way of creating a successful business.
PS I love that your content with being a caterpillar. It's soo important to accept oursleves and where we are in the creative process. However, the nature of a caterpillar is CHANGE and ultimately we will transform into our deepest essence, to resist this is to deny who we are and no matter how much we resist, there's just no denying our hArts! Sometimes we transform without even realizing it and are still inching along when now we are meant to fly. For me that is that magic - the humility of our journeys.
Have an inspiring day!
Hi kellycredit
Thank you so much for engaging this post! just like i intended :)
I love your post! I too feel being wild and free is, "being genuinely YOU in all areas of your life: career, home, spirituality, diet, art, love, the words you use. free to use all the love, good and power — your gifts — without inhibition." RIght ON!
i find in order to keep myself light and free and wild I let go of who i am not so who i am naturally emerges. this is a life practice. a life commitment, one of mindfulness and self-discovery. i focus on honoring my gut and emotions. follow my intuition more than ignoring it can sometimes be a challenge but one i'm devoted to. if i start to feel heavy/burdened, realize i'm not laughing as much as my carefree spirit requires then ii take a time out and engage FUN! I love bubbles and movies and laughing w/family! it's a lifestyle - a true creative process - always evolving.
Thanks for inspiring this thought!
I never saw a wild thing sorry for itself
A small bird will drop frozen dead from a bough
without ever having felt sorry for itself
D H Lawrence
A caterpillar may be in mourning, but only due to the foresight inherit that the good question can only be how much can be done with the time given.The fall is but another step along the path towards the becoming, and is more than an individual path, it is the roadway for all that dare to follow. The caterpillar has as much choice as the sun to carry out the duties of life that it has created in it's radiance...
To be continued, since it never really began to begin with
@Anonymous
viola!
You rushed into the, to be continued. Thank you so much for stopping by and sharing your insight. NO moment like the moment to depart from the branch right here.
I love your DH Lawrence reference. fUn!
You inspired a thought: I would say DH Lawrence wouldn't agree that the sun nor the caterpillar has a “choice” in being what they are. They are full of spirit, their innateness. There is no choice that separates them from their innateness, so the only thing the sun does is express what it is, a shining star. the caterpillar is no different in gathering leaves and inching along branches. nor are we, on a spiritual level - in the larger picture of the universe, though in order to return to our natural state, to our “ness” we must first CHOOSE to allow ourselves to emerge - despite fear or lack of anything. Yet, most people do not finish what they start and lament the loss of coulda shoulda which yields despair. To my heart, it is the urgency of fear that takes precedence over non-being/doing.
funny how things can appear so urgent. sometimes it's the case of false expectations appearing real other times it's fear. Nonetheless, i'm using the caterpillar to illustrate a larger picture of reflection, a reflection to a time where hesitation or no or i couldn't or i can't or what if, didn't sabotage the beginning and constrict the emergence of change of being.
There is nothing in a caterpillar that lets it know it will one day be a butterfly and yet if we "rush" the caterpillar and rip open the cocoon did you know it will never fly. never. and what type of life is the one where you deny who you are, deny the possibility of flight because of urgency or worst still obstinacy.
This piece reflects the resiliency of a passionate present heart:
We are content to spend our day inching along branches. We devour each leaf completely ignorant as to the why. We just do it. We don’t question when the next leaf will show up or fear there isn’t enough leaves to go around.
This piece reflects the simplicity of right action:
We are content to spend our day inching along branches. We devour each leaf completely ignorant as to the why. We just do it. We don’t question when the next leaf will show up or fear there isn’t enough leaves to go around.
This piece reflects the freedom in mindfulness:
We live in the moment. We are numb to monotony. We aren’t biding time rather we meet each day with excitement and anticipate the magical moments awaiting us.
This piece reflects the strength in presence :
we do not lament the horror of the fall nor do we stay frozen with fear nor do we curse the branch that did not support us. We immediately begin again. We move forward...
...inching along with thanks for your visit....
♥ caterpillar
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