Monday, February 13, 2012

Freedom of Choice


I daily seek to create a life full of meaning because I know that no one else is going to do it for me.
Meaning matters to me. My creative life matters to me. If I know what it is that seems meaningful to me, then this can be a helpful guide to living the authentic life I strive to live.

I am continually judging and making mindful choices as I live out the consequences of those choices. I have to admit there are days, weeks sometimes where I just float down the river and see where life takes me, dancing to the rhythm of those around me but it is never as satisfying as dancing to my own innate tune. Speaking of tune, I now own a Baritone Ukulele. My Father, while he was visiting taught me some chords. I am really enjoying this new experience as I’ve always dreamed of having some sort of guitar under my arm.
So... today I am checking-in with myself to see how my most recent experiences are effecting my life. 
I couldn’t help thinking about the gigantic ship, Queen Mary II that was docked in Port Fremantle this week. My Father and I stood and watched as she slowly moved out, left the harbor and cruised out into the great ocean. She needed to be facing the direction she wanted to go. She needed to be guided away from dock and out into the harbor. If she needed to turn around it would have been a major operation!
So I asked myself, do I need a major turn around, with the help of others (my tug boats) or perhaps just a little  adjustment to my position? Am I set to move forward in the direction I need to go or am I in the dock, waiting and preparing for the next leg of the journey? 
These answers depend on my response to my daily experiences that lead, teach, grow and change me. Choices and decisions are made based on these experiences. This is the freedom that most of us have in the West, the freedom to create the life we want to live. I thank God for that.
I thought about the myriad of outside influences that daily effect my good and bad experiences: friends, family, husband, relatives, strangers, pets, church community, Specialists, Dr’s, magazines, books, movies, internet, nature, movement, dance, tasting, seeing, hearing, touching, phone call, loving, disliking, hating, over-eating, under-eating, neglect, texting, emailing, writing, cooking, words, something said and something not said, blogging, music, instruments, the calendar, clocks, the weather - Wow, So many influences, and I haven’t even named them all!
If we don’t know what we want, there are loads of daily influences out there to experience  and help you get started! 
So, here I am experiencing, responding and making new choices for my direction in life. With these choices come the mistakes, the uncertainty, the disappointments etc but they are all part of the learning and growing process.  
Some of the experiences I want to seek more of are:
Swimming in the sea
Walking on the beach
Regular Yoga classes
Regular spiritual direction
Regular health check ups
Regular healthy meals
Regular kayaking on the river
Regular chats with family and friends
Regular work in the studio painting and creating
Regular practice of chords on my new Ukelele (can’t spell that word!)
Listen to trusted advice and act on it
Learn from other artists through art magazines (blue canvas), internet and movies
Regular walks simply noticing nature
Regular meditation on the presence of God
Self reflection through blogging and journaling and sketching
Find ways to manage the draining heat waves
Sit at the computer only in short bursts of time
Listen and respond to the physical needs of my body to avoid headaches and backaches

3 comments:

  1. One of the easiest reads that I've had in quite some time. Everything just flowed, even the ship metaphor but most especially the dancing to your own (or others') rhythm.

    So shall I double step out of here with the Paso Doble or give the waltz a go? 1...2...Cha! Cha! Cha!

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  2. What inside understanding you have Janet Dear Daughter about life and your perception of it. Also your writing skill makes me see you expanding your Skills from Artist to Authoress. I so enjoyed the article on contact lenses and knowing you as I do, I was laughing my head off, 3000km away!!
    Love You . . . Dad x
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