“The more room you give yourself to express your true thoughts and feelings, the more room there is for your wisdom to emerge.”
— Marianne Williamson
Sometimes the answer we seek is right before us, already present for our awareness. We create a veil of resistance and self doubt, thinking it could be too good to be true or that we don't deserve it for a multitude of reasons. Maybe we lack a degree or certificate to validate our qualification. In the past, our greatest success may have been our self rationalization for failure.
A few days ago, to celebrate a friend's birthday, we traveled to the tiny town of Stinson Beach. Close to home, yet an adventure to get to, you must drive up and around a mountain that separates us from the sea. The road is steep, undulating with very tight curves and has no shoulder for safety. A feat of engineering, it hugs the mountain and offers breath taking views. Metaphorically, it is a journey of effort, steep, narrow, direct but full of curves and drop offs into treetops or rocky cliffs. Often shrouded in fog, you can't see the next curve ahead. Every now and then, nature allows an area to pull off so impatient and intrepid travelers may pass you. The risk takers drive quickly, they know their destination and feel false security since they know the direction they travel. The road, however, is shared with avid endurance cyclists and deer. Curves, blind spots and the presence of others does not slow them down.. It is the only way to get to the beach front communities.
A perfect day at the beach, sun, sand, waves. Children are building castles and dogs dashing into the surf to retrieve balls with glee and glistening shakes to cool laughing spectators. Picnic basket in hand, we settle on a spot by the dunes. The sand is so hot that we have to race for the shoreline. After a long walk, we enjoy the lunch I packed along with an icy lemonade and fresh juicy peaches. Living in the moment, all worries drop away.
Before heading home, we take a stroll through the quaint town. A few art galleries and a book store, we want to be sure to visit a favorite little gift shop. We arrive to find it transformed. The owner of many years had retired. The new proprietress, Emmeline, introduced herself. Petite in stature, she is a huge presence of spiritual grace, wisdom and artistic talent. A beautiful painter, Emmeline has transformed the small place into an airy gallery showcasing her work and that of other artists. She invites us to sit and shares her story. Her French accent is captivating and her joy apparent in making her long held dream come true. As an artist, she wanted to open a gallery for a very long time. To support her painting, she worked several days a weeks in a restaurant. When this shop became available after many years, she did not hesitate. She spoke of courage, faith, compelling desire, and working in congruence with one's passion. Everyone desires to express something. She asked about each of us.
The birthday girl, Alison, now celebrating 72 years of adventure, travel, and spiritual wisdom seeking, is a nurse. She specialized in healthcare in large corporate settings. She now seeks to give back to the community as a holistic Reiki practitioner. As a cancer survivor, she loves supporting others on their journey to recovery. Recently, Alison made a dream come true by singing with a chorus at the Healdsburg Jazz Festival. Publicly giving voice to the love in her heart through music was a powerful expression of her passion for life. It took daring to put herself out there, never dreaming to be recognized for the beauty of her unique voice.
Myself? After spending many years in the field of interior design, I no longer find the joy in it. It became all about business and budgets and schedules and the bottom line out of sync with creative expression. Physical circumstance took me out of the work force and compelled me to slow down and explore new avenues of expression. In my ideal world is a book and speaking tour.......pure fantasy? Perhaps. Fear of financial failure creates real resistance. Fear of critique? Oh, yes, that too. I've explored many interests through the years, learned a lot of lessons along the way. I enjoy thought provoking conversations, am a really good listener and love inspiring others with the courage to try something new. One therapist told me ( no shame in asking for help when you need it) " You have faced some rare and powerful challenges. It's given you a master's degree in Life, so use it!". Sharing through my love affair with words has become a creative compulsion. Yes, I still love creating beautiful houses. More importantly, I love creating harmonious interiors in heart and head to manifest happy homes.
Meeting Emmeline encouraged me to examine my resistance and let the dream become reality. No wonder the name of her gallery is The Blissful Gallery. Objets d'Art & Art de Vivre. Where Art Makes You Feel Good... Paintings, Glass, Clay, Wood and More.... I would say, so much more!
You can visit her at www.emmelinecraig.com.
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