{Greatest thing}

“To have faith requires courage, the ability to take a risk, the readiness even to accept pain and disappointment. Whoever insists on safety and security as primary conditions of life cannot have faith; whoever shuts himself off in a system of defense, where distance and possession are his means of security, makes himself a prisoner. To be loved, and to love, need courage, the courage to judge certain values as of ultimate concern – and to take the jump and to stake everything on these values.” 
― Erich Fromm, The Art of Loving

From the delectable Erich Fromm comes my mantra for the upcoming...up and coming should say, next period(s) in my life.  I heard a speaker the other day who discussed his realization one day that his life was the summation of all the choices made until that moment.  This should seem obvious! Why, what else would it be. However, I shift-in-my-metal-seat related to his profound shock at this simple concept.  I too had sat on my back deck, only two day previous to this speech , wrapping my head around the same thing.  Right timing opens ears at the oddest time.
I can only say, for me, I have handed over and blamed life choices on circumstances and people around me throughout my life.  Poor me, what a victim to this big harsh world....But Being gently with myself, I observe, that many people feel the reigns of life have been guided by circumstances beyond their control. I think it is human nature especially in times when life just makes no utter sense.   Pinpointing the moment when this started for me goes back to about 1997 when under mom guilt pressure, I left my Southwest dream behind and caved returning East. Sigh...
There is a movie, Sliding Doors, that does a great job showing life choices paired side by side.  What would have happened if one had gone one direction as opposed to the other. Taken the city loop freeway as opposed to braving rush hour and heading straight through downtown.
I can't say, but I do spend time once in awhile thinking about this period of my life.  What I mostly need to focus on this time around is the awesome chance I have been given this moment, 20 years later to travel the direction authentic to me.
Change is difficult and for most people I believe it doesn't truly happen unless a major life event forces it's hand.  And then, it requires brutal blood thirsty honesty and reflection.  I have prided myself in being a change agent in my own life, but in all honesty I have bumped heads with the final release.  The choice to let go and step in to the unknown.  Repeatedly, I have had maddening patterns in my life show up that need to be addressed for true, healthy change to occur. And this is exciting stuff. It opens possibilities and the adventure I have watched and yearned for in my own life. So this is just my thoughts and writing for the day. Paired with another autumn beauty picture...that I will use in my greeting card series in the making.  A dream of my mine to create...create...to relate!