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Wednesday, August 17, 2011

Living Shadows

How well do we really know each other? People tend to hide their deepest thoughts, and conceal feelings that are as sharp as silver and capable of exposing the raw nerve of who they really are.

Some people will dive head first into the depths of love, and then suddenly retreat…because needing somebody makes them vulnerable and the potential for heartache is too terrifying to bear.

Other people never do much of anything…all along wishing that they had. Over the years their regrets form a filmy coating on their dreams; eventually contaminating their weary hearts with negativity and cynicism.

For some, time leaks like a rusty faucet, seemingly lasting too long while passing too quickly; staining their wide-eyed souls with chronic disappointment and numbing complacency. They have withdrawn from life, staying busy with a smattering of trivial nothingness, as they ignore a life that only they can live and the souls which only they can touch.

How well do we really know ourselves? Are we hiding from our dreams, afraid that they may never come true? Are we lying to ourselves, settling for less, because our pasts have been jaded, and to hope for something wildly wonderful is to risk experiencing more despair and loss?

Then there are those rare souls, who wax brave through adversity, and tell the truth, defiantly speaking forth the things that they need to the universe in spite of their feelings of inferiority and fear. They defy the pain, pushing forward in sweaty spurts, facing their demons and slaying their dragons, and as if by magic, serendipitous events change their paths, inspiring them to look inward for even more.

These are those who dare to love, and live, creating light in dark places, in spite of the exorbitant personal costs. These are the souls whose apathy is exonerated and whose exalted lives heal the wounds of hopelessness. They lead by resolution and their works inspire ordinary creatures to reach beyond their fears toward their own extraordinary paths.

We are each a part of the other, sharing common hopes and fears. Our eyes reflect our desperations and our aspirations. Our passions are as endless as our thoughts and as insatiable as the desert floor, yet our hearts are as different as our faces and our motives folded within our needs; ultimately our means will define our ends.

Carpe diem.






16 comments:

Karen Wojcik Berner said...

Amen, Leah. Nicely written.

Leah Griffith said...

Thank you Karen;)

Li said...

Great post. It's difficult to strike a balance sometimes, but living a safe and secure life can be deadening. So, I agree, carpe diem! One of the worst feelings in life, i believe, is regret for what might have been.

Leah Griffith said...

Exactly Li, balance is an ever shifting thing and once you've obtained balance in one area of your life, another one goes out of whack;)
Thanks for your post,
Leah

Anonymous said...

Nice post, Leah! I think we have so much at our disposal in the modern world that people have forgotten how to push out of their comfort zones.

Leah Griffith said...

The funniest thing Sweepy is that comfort zones aren't really all that comfortable...they become cramped stale smelling places where comfort is nearly impossible.

carole chichi said...

Amazing post Leah !!
I do love your presentation :) . I used to do the same , spending my time saying "I'm not smart, thin enough", "I'm not good enough to have the right to live my dreams".And consequently I thought I didn't have the right to be happy.I spent my time studying and working.No friends,no passion , no dreams.
2 years ago , I started to have regrets , feeling like dead inside.Or like a zombie. I was only 23!
As Li said , regrets is one of the worst feeling in the world.

In fact, I have passions, but at that time it was "comfortable" to think I didn't .
My "real" passion is painting, I created a blog about it.
When you said "serendipitous events change their paths, inspiring them to look inward for even more"... it's exactly what happened to me ;)

Leah Griffith said...

Ah Carole, the dream thief had you under his spell. I am so excited that you have broken the curse and that you are claiming what is yours! Life is too short to spend it watching other people live. We must live and explore the gifts that lie dormant within us, so that we may share them with the world. It’s that little piece of us that we have to offer others.
What type of painting do you do Carole? You are so young and have so much to look forward to!
Peace,
Leah

carole chichi said...

Hey Leah ,
I've learned how to paint and draw on my own at the age of 8. But I've been taking painting courses only for 2 years.
My favorite painting topics are flowers and portraits. I use different medium : charcoal,acrylic,watercolors.

You can see my paintings on my blog ^^
http://le-blog-peinture-de-carole.over-blog.com/

When I paint, I'm feeling like I'm in peace.
We're all talented and gifted. We just have to find our talent are!

xoxo
Carole

Leah Griffith said...

That sounds wonderful Carole! I'm going to go check out your work.
I agree that we each have talents and gifts but sometimes life distracts us and we lose our way.
My Best,
Leah

Cathy said...

I love to take risks, but not to extent that I risk wobbling off the edge of the world. Taking risks is rather like a blossoming bud, as Anais Nin once said: "and then the day came when the risk to remain tight in a bud was more painful than the risk it took to blossom"

Leah Griffith said...

Without risks we gain nothing. We stagnate and die in our predictable little selfish worlds. I love that quote Cathy. It reminds me of another that says, “People don’t usually change until the pain of staying the same is worse than the pain of changing.” I don’t know who said it but it’s brilliant. Thank you for your inspiring words Cathy;)

S.K. Delph said...

@Cathy---Anais Nin...that's a name I haven't heard in a while...remarkable quote and amazing author as are you Leah Griffith. Everyone has said what I might have and more in response to your post, so I will just suffice it to say that I can't wait to read your debut novel 'Cosette's Tribe' Please keep me posted as to when it will be coming out!

Leah Griffith said...

My sweet S.K. Thank you for your praise. You my dear have so much talent and drive. I am certain that I will some day be hearing your name in the media and grinning because I knew you when;)

Ms. Faustus said...

I'm sorry, I'm reading backwards this morning as I still have blog catching up to do. This was even more inspiring than "A Morning Letter."

Thank you. Namaste.

Leah Griffith said...

Good Morning Chris, I've missed you. I'm heading your way to see what you've been up to;)

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