So here I am, in the seemingly endless chain of tasks to accomplish before opening my very own Blissful Gallery. In a few weeks, the place will be bright and inviting, open for business, all set up and pretty: this is the finish line… before it can begin.
Or is it? Depending on my perspective in the moment, it can be the end of the long preparation journey, or the very beginning of having my own gallery, or put in a larger picture, just a long awaited step further in my career as an artist… or then again, even more simply just the next step on the long trajectory of my life.
I believe it all started with a strong desire, the articulate declaration of a wish, the refinement of a vision into crystal clear intention. All along being supported, encouraged, nudged and brought forward by the conjugated effects of Serendipity, Opportunity and Universal Expansion.
In the many little steps between the first glimpse of what would be pursued, and the contemplation of what has been achieved, there is a million ways to get confused, off track, upset, or plainly lost. It is easy to become so goal oriented as to forget how to savor the minute accomplishments, the tiny rewards, the inspired breakthroughs that are the stepping stones of realization. It is even easier to get side tracked and tangled in the mundane string of daily necessities to the point of blurring one’s initial vision.
But then, as important as it can be to keep a steady course and one’s eyes on the goal, it is also essential to appreciate the little things for what they are, just in themselves, little beads stitched into the fabric of a large story, making it precious in and out. That’s what I call “illuminating the mundane”. As in those medieval books, written by hand, without any grudge for time spent, where each first letter was ornamented and enriched and gilded, just to make the page beautiful… Illuminated.
Of course, there has been days where things did not happen as expected, people were not met, weather got in the way… but I made an effort to remind myself and look at what was actually happening, if not conform to my plans, as maybe even more perfect! I reminded myself that if it was different than what I envisioned, hoped, planned, or wanted, maybe it was still serving my ultimate Intention… Maybe it was in absolute order. Maybe it was exactly what I needed… When I get to that point and remember that I am living inside a very intelligent universe that keeps gazillions of stars dancing all around us and not falling (without my help), or that my body is actually breathing and doing what bodies do, consistently and without me even intervening in the smallest, then I usually can feel my breath deepening, my shoulders relaxing, my smile coming back involuntarily… I give in, I surrender, I live with abandon again.
So now, every time I catch myself counting the days, making plans based on trivial considerations, putting myself under pressure with worry or doubts, I stop, breathe, and look at my core intention, my ultimate vision (meaning as far as I can see from here and now), so that everything falls into place at once, all over again, and I can appreciate the moment.
Instead of staying upset, or scared, I just revel in the greatness of being alive and in love with what I do. I can see how much has been gathered, organized, assembled, how much has taken form, that serves my growth, that agrees with my desire, as long as I flow with that free form universal motion around me, as long as I keep my heart singing and my joy beaming to clear the path.
It’s like going straight toward something but allowing for the twirling of a happy dance along the way…
It’s a nice way to journey and I am grateful for it.
More later…