19 years this month and 16 of the years lived in secret and shame.
Exploring life in the last three years finding freedom in truth and storytelling. A bridge recently revisited only to discover a ledge not there. How? Impossible. A fingertip grip and a perfectly orchestrated team of superheroes. Isn’t that life though? A gaggle of human beings hanging on by the fingertips and trying to survive?
19 years of heartaches, celebrations, tears, victories, love, imperfections, people coming and going, snuggling up in the guilt of surviving, discovery, deep sea diving, desert crossing, mountain climbing, overcoming, becoming and flourishing.
19 years of thankfulness, gratitude, and humility. We are gifted with today.
19 years trying to be better, falling, failing, succeeding, sucking and winning. Reflection: what has happened to you in the last 19 years?
Look up. Look around. There are people hanging by their fingertips. Reach out. Dive in and expect nothing in return. Love. Just be. Be present. Be bold. Be truth. Be heart. Be kindness. Be selfless. Be.
Tell your story. However grand or small. It isn’t your story to keep. Someone needs it. Watching and waiting. Tell it again and again, old chapters and new ones too. There will always be fresh ears to hear. Silence the noise that you shouldn’t tell it. It isn’t redundant.
Purpose on Earth – see, smell, taste, hear, and show. Tall trees, vast mountains, butterflies, and tiny fluorescent ladybugs in the tropics. Loud and boisterous humans, meek people, flashy, humble, angry, or sad. Raindrops on roses and whiskers on kittens…humor in everything. Laugh. Big belly laughs. Laughing in the midst of pain because it is the best medicine.
19 years of bad rap. Good music and hip-hop to make up for it. Soul piercing lyrics serenading you while you hold onto the ledge. We are gifted at this moment. Colorful art and poems written by kindergarteners. Shitty politicians. War. Poverty…preposterous isn’t it? Wreckless abandon and guns in schools. Babies born. Children graduating. Ying with the Yang. The good with the bad. Pain. Beauty. You are here. Watching people die. Loved and hated ones. Opportunity to wake up and do it again. Maybe?
Can you feel it? Smell it? Taste it? Do you hear?
Show the world what you are capable of doing.
A tomorrow never promised but there is a promise in the present, always.
How will you live the rest of your days…
Danielle Leonard 