When I see people wanting to explore their creative side, their inner artist, and not doing it for whatever reason, I always find it so hard not to wade in and start imploring them to please just begin! To not get evangelical about it because of what I know it can do for a person, what a difference it can make to a life.
There is a point beyond which I cannot go, and that is the gateway to their own realm, the place where they must choose for themselves.
All the support, encouragement and permission in the world is no good unless it is absorbed and turned into action by each individual.
I must acknowledge the limits of my power and remember to allow others to make their own choices unpestered, even if I see those choices bringing limitation and pain to them. Â So I will content myself today with a poem to those people, the ones dear to my heart because I see the gifts of creativity in them and they don’t see it yet, not enough to take the step.
And of course, it’s for me too, because there are places in my life where I am just like those people I wish so dearly to help. I wrote this poem about art and creativity, but I suspect you may find in it a message for you even if you have that side of things down. 🙂
 ***
When the desire is there
but everything else is louder
When you feel the pull
that tug inside
that has no words
but insists
like a mute but stubborn child,
I want this.
The only way
The ONLY way
to silence it
to feel the peace
that comes with
a sudden stopping
and the fullness
that comes
when a true desire
is made real
is to listen
and respond.
That mute caller
you’re ignoring
sidelining
not now-ing
latering
squashing
is you.
How long can you
ignore yourself?
Sure, a lifetime
but how tired you will be
at the end
from all that
unanswered wanting
how hollow
how unfulfilled.
Better to be filled
with things tried
with experiments that
didn’t work
with colour
and texture
and the song of joy
your body sings
when you
answer the call
than to be filled
with regret
that you never listened
because the later
that never comes
always seemed
like a better time.
Thank you for being so generous to share this amazing Poem, Tara!
beautiful, i hear your woe on this when you see people with so much but they cannot see it,so the poem sums it up; spirit is amazing within us all xx
It’s funny isn’t it how easy it is to see in others and so hard to see in ourselves sometimes!
This is a beautiful poem Tara, thank you for having the courage to publish it, I’ve printed it out and it’s on my notice-board! For future reference. And for today’s JFDI reminder!!!! x
I’m honoured that you printed it out Heather!
Thanks for sharing your poem, I loved reading it and it definitely resonated. I think it’s a great idea that Heather has printed it out, I’m going to do the same!
Printer is out of fuel – but my Journal was happy to receive it – along with my golden floral masking tape. I had a certain shy-ness about copying it, as it goes so deep. This Poem is a powerful reminder, the more often I read it, the more thoughts/Feelings are coming.
Glad it was so resonant for you Nicole!
What a beautiful poem Tara … thank you for posting it. But what about the fear that stops us going for it? …. how do we push through that? Is it just a case of take a deep breath and go for it?
Fil at Fil’s Place – Old songs and Memories
Hi Fil, thank you for stopping by! You ask an excellent question. 🙂 I was thinking about it in bed last night and while there are many different ways to approach this, depending on who you are and what will work best for you, I always think the best way with fear is to start small {baby steps}, to get some support {from a teacher/class/group/friend etc} and to always follow what looks the easiest and most fun in that moment. All these things are easy to put in place, and the easier it we can make it to begin, the easier it’ll be to do so! I don’t believe in ‘fighting’ fear or forcing ourselves to push through; that just makes things harder. Hope this is helpful – I am thinking I’ll write a post about this as your question is on a lot of people’s minds! If you’d like to be more specific about what exactly you feel is causing fear for you that would help me focus the post. You could email me tara@taraleaver.com if you’d rather not make it ‘public’!
beautiful poem and wonderful sentiment that it shares. it is so easy to put off that creative side, so I think you’ve done a great job to capture the negatives of not being creative, of letting your inner voice speak and breath. lovely and thank you for sharing. d
Thank you Darren, I appreciate that!
Lovely,lovely poem Tara xxxxxxxxxx
Thank you Nicola! Glad you enjoyed it. 🙂
Laughing now. I’ve had this life altering project under the bed for over 10 years because of one negative critique. I’m pulling it out and dusting it off. What a wonderful accident… I stumbled just into your world. I’m grinning from ear to ear and turning my head from side to side in awestruck wonder. With gracious thanks and a curtsy… indeed.
Hi Dianne – thanks for stopping by! So glad you found something helpful here, and enjoy reviving your project! 🙂