The clutter, the discord and the difficulty are what produce the fertile ground of creativity.

On the day you decide to follow a creative path, you will have lesson after lesson handed to you.  You will feel beaten, humbled, and alive.  You will be aware of large churnings under the surface that no one can see or feel but you.  You might smile at friends and family, talking to them about things you have always talked about, but inside you will be  jumping hurdles, slaying dragons, praying for answers.

You will feel like you are running as hard as you can  - in a bowl of mashed potatoes.

Your advances will be small, your badges earned.  You will be a student for a very, very long time.  You will wonder whether it was worth it. If you should not have just stayed where you were, in the land of mediocrity and perpetual indecision.

After having made more mistakes than you care admit to, things start to make sense.

You know something about your own path.  You know something about where you are headed and you start to see the puzzle fall into place.  You are astounded just to realize that it really did take all that just to get here.  And how it was worth every moment of utter confusion and sheer fright that the Universe presented to you along the way.

You are awake.

You  realize that you still have work to do. You are kinder.  You are more empathic to peoples’ struggles, because you yourself had to struggle to get here.  You respect the wisdom of others, gathered along parallel paths, and you allow others their say.   You know you don’t have all the answers.  But you have learned to ask the right questions. Welcome to your beautiful, creative, inspired, individual life.

Savor the slowness of the days before Christmas and enjoy the company of your friends and family.  Light a candle.  Count your blessings.  Hug your kids, your dog, your mate.  Be grateful.