A few months ago, one of my managers and personal friend asked me if I had heard the new song from a girl named Kacey Musgraves titled "Follow Your Arrow". She said that every time she heard it, she thought of me. That in and of itself almost brought tears to my eyes. But no one likes the bleary-eyed bartender so I controlled myself ... until I googled it at home that night. This song is awesome. It's this one love all is good feeling that highlights the hypocrisy of society and how we are all too quick to judge one another. When you have an image of who you want to be, and that image is reflected back to you in how a friend sees you .. well that's tear invoking for sure.
One of my favorite quotes is from Cat Stephens' song "If you want to sing out". He says, "There's a million things to be ... you know that there are." In conversations with this friend, I have said those very words.
I just turned forty. My backbone is officially fused; though still wobbly at times. But at forty I finally know who I am. I know what I believe. I have an opinion about almost everything. And I will no longer let anyone else affect that, the way I used to. In saying this, I speak my mind a lot of the time. Home and at work. Knowing that I resonate, speak, act, or breathe what is in my mind and heart and soul, is a profound feeling.
I used to agree; though I did not.
I used to sit silent; though I wanted to scream.
I used to accept; though I wanted change.
I try hard not to do any of these things anymore, and it is a struggle sometimes daily.
The song title itself got me to thinking that perhaps it isn't the direction of your arrow, as much as it is the forward momentum, forward movement, just keep moving forward in life. Keep growing. Keep evolving. Keep adapting. And if that arrow is pointing back at you, then it's clearly time to go inside and spend some time reflecting on you and what you want.
Ask yourself, "Self ... what impression am I giving to the world? What image am I showing? And more importantly, does it reflect what's in my heart, mind, and soul?".
What if it's this deep thought and self-reflection--even the painful kind--that facilitates this growth?
Dolly Parton says it best, "Storms make trees take deeper roots."
If I could go back in time and convince myself of one thing, it would be that I rock. It would be that my mind is worthy and that thousands of other people in the world AGREE with me on several topics. I would tell myself that there is no ONE way to be ... there are a MILLION ways to be ... y'know that there are!
"y'know that there arrrrre ..... y'know that there arrrre .... y'know that there arrrre .... "
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