This morning I heard a song which sent me to the Land of Oz for some reason. As I was actually taking my time to enjoy getting ready for the day, images of Dorothy, her journey, and the Great “All-Knowing” Oz swirled in my brain like the yellow brick road. Then, slowly ideas began to take shape. I began to realize that there are many types of paths that correlate to each person. Some people need a straight-forward path, clearly delineated with “the answer”, The Great Oz, at the end to tell them how to live their life. The concept of the yellow brick road reminds me of this: even bricks, evenly spaced, a beginning with an end. No one questions where this road will lead or if this is the best way to go. Maybe it is better sometimes to veer off, take a nap in the poppies and dream a little.
After listening to this song, “Exactly,”
I realized that I am not a “follow the yellow brick road” kind of girl. I have the tendency to close my eyes and release into the process, to flow down Life’s river and enjoy the ride, including the bumps in the road. As I look back over the last 15 years, I can see how interrelated all the events have been to bring me to where I am and to who I am now. I won’t bore you with my life lineage, but, suffice to say, I see my life turning in the direction I needed to go from one pivotal day. I remember it as clearly as it happened yesterday. I was working in Boston, at a High-End clothing Boutique and I was desperately trying to fax my application for my Master’s Degree to Harvard Night school. No matter what I did, that damn zero on my social security number never was clear enough. God! I was so frustrated that I kicked the fax machine! When I got home that night, I got my mail from my mailbox and proceeded to go through it. Inside was the Providence College continuing education course catalog. (I had gone to Undergrad there and my father also worked there so I could go for free.) Inside was the exact curriculum that I was trying to apply for through Harvard University Night school. It was the last night before registration, so I quickly called the registration office. Not only was someone there later than usual, that someone was the Spanish guy I had dated 3 years previously who was only back for a month to hand in a paper. He was leaving the next day to return to Spain. Once he found out who I was, he pushed my paper work through. Voila! My life changed course and here I am.
I feel more akin to the little stream as I allow myself to flow from one experience, good or bad, to another. I have come to realize that there are times when extreme things happen to kick us out of stagnation. We are meant to be more than we are, but sometimes we get stuck. It’s easier to stay where we are, in a less than satisfactory life, than to courageously move forward into the unknown. When yucky things happen, that’s just Life giving you a kick in the pants. Sure, it stings! As you rub your bum and look confused, listen to the underlying message: Wake Up! Your life is calling, you just weren’t paying attention!
You are very insightful…good post!