If the path be beautiful (life here lately)
“If the path be beautiful, let us not ask where it leads” Anatole France
There’s a rose bush that recently bloomed through the fence from our neighbor’s yard.
We moved into this house in mid-winter and I had no idea what to expect from the yard coming into the spring and summer. I love when plants find a way to thrive through city blacktop and fence. I love unexpected color in my backyard that makes my heart sing. Bloom on, my friend. Your beauty and resilience make our world a little brighter.
♥♥♥♥♥
I began a conversation recently with a friend about how to create a non-traditional life. Finding myself here, in a stage of life where I have a business and a child and a passion for painting, still catches me off guard sometimes. Did I expect to be here when I was going to grad school for non-profit work? Or when I was doing project management at a history org? No, I really didn’t. Am I happy this path presented itself, a path that simply asks me each day to hold on with faith and keep going? Yes, a million times yes.
Here’s the truth: finding the courage to face the unknown is always worth it, though that doesn’t mean it’s easy. This little bear was one of my very first attempts at an animal and I have such a clear memory of how intimidated I was to try. I love painting animals now! I’m sure ten years from now I’ll look back at 2018 and in retrospect see how much is changing even now, though I may not see it yet.
Sometimes when I feel nervous, I remember this bear. I also try to picture my future self thanking my past self for taking the chance and that really helps me move forward again if I feel stuck. I ended up painting over this bear in the end with one of my very first attempts at flowers (!!) but a very appropriate message remained:
Thank you, little bear, for being the teacher I needed.
♥♥♥♥♥
Eric and I will be married for FIVE years on Friday. So much has happened over the past few years but what’s remained truly steadfast: our trust, our optimism, our playful spirits, our willingness to trust our path wherever it’s leading us. I couldn’t ask for a more supportive and wonderful person to share my life with. Thank you, Eric, for bringing out the best in me always and giving me the confidence to try so many things I never dreamed I’d try.
Here’s to celebrating today, to the big accomplishments and the small.
For the path is beautiful, indeed.