I love edges.
They signify endings and beginnings.
Where the beach ends, the ocean begins.
Where the rock ends, the chasm begins.
Where the woods end, the meadow begins.
Where Kristen’s metaphors end, the actual point of this post begins. (ha)
Not only are edges a sign of new beginnings, they signify the super amazing incredible awesome gift bestowed on us humans of choice.
At each edge, you get to choose whether or not to camp out or move forward. Stay in the woods forever, or step into the sunshine. Stick with what you know, or fling yourself (awkwardly) into uncharted territory.
And fuuuuuuuuuckkkk that is a lot of pressure, isn’t it??? Annoying.
It’s like you’re sitting on your nice cushy couch, minding your own business, and the Universe shows up and says:
“Duuuude! You sure do look comfortable over there! But hear me out, I’ve got a little proposal for ya…
Option 1: You can stay on that comfy couch forEVER. I mean, you can’t reach a whole lot from there; also the view is never gonna change. Oh, and your butt will likely cramp up something fierce. But at least it’s not dangerous!
or
Option 2: You can walk out the front door. What’s out there? I dunno. Might be paradise. Might be a blizzard. Might be a pool full of piranhas. Whatever it is, it will take some work to navigate. But I promise you, once you handle what’s back there, your life will open in ways that you didn’t know were possible. You will never be bored and you will never stop encountering miracles.”
At first, you’ll probably say, “Hm, piranhas? Yeah, I’m good right here on the couch.”
But eventually, your restlessness may get the upper hand. You’ll get sick of staring at the same four walls day after day. You’ll realize the tv isn’t feeding your soul AT ALL. And your legs will start to go numb as blood flow slowly gets cut off.
And then. Maybe you’ll decide you are, in fact, ready for a new beginning. Heart racing, you’ll open the door. It’ll look scary out there. (It always does.) You’ll talk yourself out of it and back into it and then out of it again. You’ll look longingly back at the couch. But then you’ll take a deep breath… and jump.
You probably won’t land on your feet… Maybe you’ll roll a ways, or splat right on your ass, or just stand there crying (ahem, I mean, I’ve heard that happens to some people…).
You will run out of money right when everybody wants to get paid.
You will feel all alone as you lose people who don’t understand your decisions.
You will devote time and energy into projects that turn into nothing.
You will step on toes and lose your temper and maybe your mind.
You will lose hope and consider giving up.
But Honey, that’s the magnificent imperfection of the edges. And that is where the beauty lies. Diamonds are formed by pressure. Pearls are formed by grit. And magic is the reward for those brave enough to come to the edges.. and jump.
Related Posts:
Divorce and Feeling Things. Also, I Cried During Wall Balls Once.
This Is What Forward Motion Looks Like
