Saturday 21 September 2013

Following my Yellow Brick Road

A very creative, talented writer told me this week that the key to finding creativity is to source it through other forms of art and expression. She said 'go to the art gallery or go to a show', then with a wave of her hands she said 'Or climb a tree'. We both laughed and I replied saying I would climb the tree. Even though we laughed at the idea of climbing the tree, there was a magical sense to the carefree fearlessness of scampering up a tree and finding a nice comfortable spot to ponder the world. So I climbed a tree. And you know what I found? It's really uncomfortable in a tree. There is bark that sticks up your butt and leaves that fall down your shirt and as I was sitting there trying to ponder the world and trying hopelessly not to fall out of the tree, it dawned on me. The lesson to learn from climbing the tree is a lesson of thankfulness. We spend so much time trying to get more more more, when what we have right in front of us is enough and far more comfortable then being stuck up a tree.

I'm not saying the being ambitious and having goals is a bad thing. I'm saying that when you follow the yellow brick road, instead of picking up every character on the way and trying to make them your own, pick one. Be great at it. Or just be thankful that you have it, and you have a home and family and a roof over your head. Dreams are scary and it is so easy to become overwhelmed by the idea of this one big dream you have and to try and find every small possibility to try at something else. Something easier and something more realistic. But if the scarecrow wanted a brain, and chose a heart instead, he would still be stuck on that damned yellow brick road waiting for Dorothy.Well I decided I wanted a brain, figuratively speaking, so I dumped all that other characters behind me and set a course for some new exciting chapters. I may have turned green this week and lost my ruby red slippers, aka my mind, but I'm back. So I found some inspiration and am going to do some baking today.

Coincidently I ended up seeing a show last night...The Wizard of Oz (with a twist). I wrote this before making plans to see it. When reflecting at what I wrote I decided it was all meant to be. Well the kitchen is calling, will follow up when baked and decorated.