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| The Poinciana trees are in bloom. The "Snowbirds" and tourists miss these beauties. |
There is a rhythm to life. It starts in the womb with the beating of two
hearts: the mother’s and the infant's. The cadence continues even when the two
separate. The constant heartbeat within provides a backdrop for the rest of
life.
Some people
are out of sync with this life drum. They don’t connect easily with other
people. Their thoughts are sometimes scattered. Their internal clock and brain
are always at odds with each other. Their relationships are few. They sometimes
drive as if they were the only ones on the road. In much the same way, they
crash and bump through life until someone or something stops them.
I’ve met
people like this. My heart goes out to their aloofness as they try to fit into
a society that hears a different drummer and walks to the tune of conformity.
They walk a narrow line. Some grow into genius-hood. Others into insanity
crashing down the walls that separate them from others as if to say: “Here I
am. Look at me! See who I am.” If they can’t win the game of life by ordinary
means, they will do it in some other way.
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| (Those green buds will bring more red flowers. Exquisite! Notice their fine, fern like leaves) |
In the past
few weeks, televised news has shown some of these “misfits” involved in killings
and shootings. So many people are hurt by the few who simply don’t fit in.
Within their confused minds they experience confusion, emptiness and pain. They
go through life unnoticed by most of us until it is too late.
Why am I
writing about this subject in an artist’s blog: because gifted people sometimes
feel alone and apart. If they or their work are not getting noticed, they feel unneeded
and unwanted. Failure is a word to be feared instead of a stepping stone for
growth.
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| "Mother's Day Gift Roses" to brighten my life. (more below) |
We all must
fail. It is an inevitable part of life. But if we take that failure and examine
it, turn it over, digest it and try to discover the hows and why’s we may gain
some clarity. Avoiding mistakes the second time is easier with hindsight
illuminating our choices.
There is no
shame in failure, unless its cycle is repeated over and over again without
changing attitudes or behavior. Life is a puzzle. Not all pieces fit the way we
expect them to. Surprises and abnormalities are the “norm,” if there is such a
thing as normal.
Don’t give up
on yourself. Hang on with your fingernails, if you must. Grab a hold of someone
else’s coattails if it keeps you going a little while longer. There is no
shame in needing help. We all need a mentor, a friend, a counselor. Struggle
makes us stronger even if it’s unpleasant. Hope gives us a reason. Faith keeps
us anchored to something bigger than ourselves.
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| (The whole bouquet -- different light, different colors. forgive the bananas!) |
It is only when
we give up on these last three things: struggle, hope, and faith that our life begins to fray at the edges. Reach out before that happens! Reach out to help someone
else. You may be their last best hope. They may be yours.
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| "Mother's Day Gift flowers -- Hydrangeas" |
