To Be Free as a Cloud
I still remember the time as a little boy when I thought I was lost. It was in a crowded department store where I panicked after wandering away from Mom’s side. That helped strengthen the fear that kept me in a safe cocoon as I grew up. That was comfortable for many years until I found that it wasn’t helping me any more. Then I had to search for the way to have a more satisfying way to live inside my skin. I found my own map, expanding my world with interest, excitement and peace of mind. Walking along a path unknown to me was the way to move me forward.
Going that direction requires curiosity and a bit of courage, so I hope you’ll read on.
There is a regular list for the path today: get an education, get a job, get married, have children, be happy. If there is a description for the ailments of living today, lost may be only slightly harsh. In other times the list above declared all the goals, the fruits to be happy and satisfied in oneself. Just a different point of view makes all the difference.
I did not know how to play well with others. I lacked the personal tools that would bring me peace of mind in my life. My growth led me to what I describe as having been found, with a better viewpoint to look out. After feeling lost this is truly a pleasant revelation. My badge says, “This is me”, and wearing it is comfortable.
Being more open to the larger world includes being vulnerable at times. This might imply possible harm, but I find the greater harm in not being open and vulnerable. The loss is in being shut off from the richer experiences available in sandbox of life. I encourage you to play in the bigger world, beyond your own fence. Take a step out, then look around, and take a breath. There is more air everywhere. If you see a serious face in front of you, smile back. It won’t hurt.
Removing my plastic wrap let me begin to feel real air. Wrapped safely, I didn’t know what fresh air felt like and didn’t know it was missing. Getting better peace of mind gave me new places and experiences, the fuel of stories to relate to my own clan around the campfire. There are smiling faces to be found, and friendly people to smile at while they look at you. Enjoy it. You really only risk feeling a little silly at worst. And that can be a good thing. I can tell you it is a lot better out there with your own peace of mind than living forever in a cocoon.