Voices
Hey everyone!
I hope the leap into spring is finding you all rejuvenated and inspired!
I recognize I haven’t written in a while and I apologize for that. It seems like all too often life gets away from me and I become a professional at distracting myself from accomplishing the things I want to accomplish.
Recently the theme of my life that seems to be seeping into everything I am seeing and doing is: what does it mean to stand for something? What does it mean to have principles? What does it mean to understand the truth of something, come up against adversity, and continue to stand by what you believe in?
I have discovered a new respect for those who stand for what they know to be true and right. I find that it is only during the greatest adversity that you find your greatest truth. It’s easy to claim that you believe in something, but it isn’t until that belief is challenged that one is really forced to decide to what extent.
I saw the film “The Counterfeiters” recently, for those of you who are unfamiliar with the movie, it won Best Foreign film at the Academy Awards this year. It’s spectacular; I highly recommend it. Anyway, there is a character in the film that has a belief and stands for it. He knows a truth for himself and he’s willing to sacrifice his own life and comforts for this truth.
I was so moved by this character and his story and I began to think about all the great peaceful leaders of our time who stood for humanity, compassion, tolerance and understanding and I realized that although the beauty they inspired in the world was immense, it really didn’t take hold until after their death.
Then I began to wonder if, in fact, we truly don’t ever understand what we have or the value of what we are being presented until we are threatened with the loss of it… Until we face some form of adversity in order to attain or keep it.
I wonder if Gandhi’s voice would resonate so loudly had he not been killed? And Dr. King’s voice? And John Lennon’s voice?
It feels like their voices were amplified exponentially because of their willingness to die for their principles. This is so inspiring to me, and yet incredibly frightening and daunting. I want to believe I am a woman of character. I want to believe I am a woman of principle. I want to make an effect on the world and help people to see the beauty in life and relating. But I don’t know how far I am willing to take this. I don’t know how strong my character is. I feel like I am only now beginning to understand what it is I do believe in. Now the whole concept of actively going about taking steps to exemplify these beliefs is so scary.
I want to thank all of you. I want to thank you for your support and encouragement. I want to thank you for your joy and appreciation for my work and my wacky explorations. I feel that this site is a well that I often draw inspiration from when I am feeling low and frustrated. Thanks for tolerating the diatribe!
Have a beautiful day.
Yours appreciatively,
Allison
