DevaStatingSL

Personality…. nature… that which makes me, me… is something so infinite in its explanation. Surely I can’t be alone in being impossible to define? Wouldn’t it be boring if we only had one aspect to each of us… one side to be encountered by all we meet in life?

It is the fullness of who we are in all situations which brings true colour to who each of us is. Never feel you have to diminish who you truly are to accommodate the wishes of others. Take it from someone who spent far too many years seeking to seem smaller to try and help others avoid feeling small.

Years ago, I was a teacher of those aged between 11 and 18. As much as I was trained and employed to impart the knowledge of a particular subject set, I found so much of my time was also spent encouraging and nurturing these youngsters, helping and giving them the time to find out who they were. One piece of advice I have never forgotten from my teacher training was to always make each hour count, because each of those children could never have that lesson back again… so it should be the very best that it could be.
Surely that is something we should carry to each of our days in how kind we are to ourselves. Make each hour and day the fullest and happiest it can be, even if it is spent sitting in the calm of a summer’s day watching bees busily ensuring that plants are pollinated.

I do try to meet others with kindness. I always have, for many reasons. Some people who know me do indeed think I am a kind and patient person… BUT… I have also lived. There are times when I am also realistic enough to not so much burn bridges, as cut the ties and set some people adrift…. so that they float far… far… farrrrrrr…. away from me 🙂

So often when something bad or painful happens to us, the question we want to know is “Why?”. We may never know the reason for it, in fact for many things there will never be the knowledge of what led to that thing happening, BUT we can find peace in dragging something positive from it for ourselves. Bad things shape us just as much as those which seem good.

Yes, I AM that incredibly annoying person who believes everything happens for a reason. It’s true that life will never be the same again, but rather than wailing and passively thinking life has singled us out for mis-justice, try and grab that beast by the horns and wrangle something good out of a shitty thing.

 
I remember when I was younger and old people (anyone over 30 HAHAHA!!) would try and offer advice, I would roll my eyes. I am that older person now, and can see that one positive to come from the trials in my life, especially those inflicted by others, is to offer kind words to those going through similar things, in the vain hope that they might avoid the depth of pain I felt. Pain and troubles are so often how we grow, but if through mine I can lessen the trouble for others, that has got to be a good thing!

I don’t think we ever stop growing as people. I know I haven’t yet. My nature is still changing, unfolding, and almost blossoming. I am sure that I am not yet the finished version of who I am meant to be. Perhaps it’s not for me to decide when I am done.. I will just run out of days at some point 🙂
Some of you reading this may well be artists who exhibit work at the Galerie des Beaux-Arts with me, and know why ‘Nature’ has been tumbling round in my head. Well, preparations are underway for the Autumn exhibition “Nature” The opening party will be on Sunday October 13th, and already artists are sending their work in.

I like to try and keep the themes of the exhibitions wiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiide open so that Artists can interpret them in their own way, but you can see a little as to how it’s affected my thought processes.