I often use a tapestry analogy to describe how I move through and relate to life; it's simplistic and says, the moments of my life are simply a collection of threads I gather and combine into what will eventually form a tapestry of the life entirety of the life I've lived.
Exactly what threads I weave into it are sometimes within my ability to control and sometimes not, but that's just life right?
They're of various hues, vibrant colours, pastels and, of course, some moments are less colourful; dark times, the shadows and shades, visit every life - we're common in that way. I work towards designing my tapestry as I wish it to look though, take the moments that come by chance and design, the vibrant and darker shades, and call them my life.
I learn from them also, those moments, with the hope I can make my present a little more colourful and my future more so again.
Something I've used to help me along the way is the experiences and wisdom of others and mostly that's been gained by reading about their deeds, experiences and lives. The words of those who have lived more life than I have, in different times and who have had different experiences always seem to hold value; they prompt me to think and act in certain ways, or not to, based on the situations I find myself in. Sometimes those words just make me feel good, lead me to understand I'm on-track or in control and that's good enough too.
Some time ago I started using a quote at the beginning of most of my posts; I began doing it as I knew it would expose me to quotes I'd not seen before as I scroll through looking for the right one. I also take a lot of the quotes from books I have on the shelf and that means taking them, flicking pages and locating the words I wish to share on my posts. Naturally, that means I read other words too and it's been a really great way to remind myself of some of the wise words I've read over the years.
I don't think life has to be as complicated as it is although, thinking on it, modern society is that way inclined. I like to simplify things though and that means grasping the small, medium-sized and large moments of life with both hands and wringing the most out of them - I'll be dead all to soon so ensuring I get the most from life seems like a wise decision. It's in that way I manage to stitch together what I look at and call a beautiful life.
Do things go wrong? Do I have stresses and worries? Do I fail to present as my best-self? The answer is a resounding yes to all. But, the opposite happens too...The pendulum will always swing both ways...until it stops altogether.
I wonder about you folks...what does your tapestry might look like, in your own opinion, and are you happy with it? Do you also find value in the words of others who have come before, their experiences and thoughts and apply them to your own lives as I do?
Feel free to let me know in a comment below if there's a quote that means a great deal to you, that you find motivating and inspirational. Who knows, it might also be one of my own favourites or one I haven't heard and may come to mean something to me also. Please make sure you also give credit to the original author though. And lastly...when you're done commenting, go do something you value and stitch another thread into your tapestry - Life is too short not to.
Design and create your ideal life, don't live it by default - Tomorrow isn't promised so be humble and kind
The image is mine.
“Be strong in the moments where you want to be weak because life itself is worth living for. If you are not living the life that you want, you fight for that life.”
― Jensen Ackles
My tapestry is a strange combination, but it is MINE. Are there dark colours? Yes, several rows of dark colours, but in truth, they helped shape me into who I am. I found bravery and strength when I thought I had none left. And I began to weave wonderful colours into my world once more. I found a love most only dream of, and he is the golden thread that makes my tapestry sparkle. And through his love I found that I wanted to weave an even more beautiful tapestry.
Nice quote indeed!
Those golden threads will help you find more colours I think, together and individually, because of the other. It's a nice place to be in. And, thanks to the dark, the light and colour seems that much better.
Very much the truth on both counts, at least for us. I know not everyone has the kind of relationship we do. We often get envious glances or told we are "couple goals". I know what we have is very special. He really is my rock and my golden thread. The dark colours seem far less daunting, and the beautiful colours are brighter and more appreciated with him by my side.
It seems you've found the right formula and that's good for you both as you'll have better lives because of it.
Lovely work veri nice stitches and rich colour like you say. Men also need to know how to sew it is a valuable skill. Thank you for sharing your passion sir!
Lol, oh yeah I stitched that g-string. 😂
Seriously though, I think a person needs to know how to stitch their life together with a view to ensuring it feels right in the moment and looks right when looked back upon later in time. Also, of course, what we do now effects the future so good stitches now can pay dividends later huh?
I used to look for some sort of guidance it the words of those before me. Guidance or perhaps they made me think about things I normally wouldn't. But lately, as I feel I have become more of my own and the image of what I want my tapestry to be like in my mind has formed, I don't seek them as much. Instead, I value the people around me more, them sharing their experiences, the time they have gifted me and the words of their wisdom.
My tapestry is full of alive colors and also has plenty of jet black in there. I can't say I am always happy with every thread that gets added in it, but I wouldn't be the same person today writing this comment without them.
Wisely spoken as someone who has lived some life, seen light and shade, happiness and sadness and everything in between. It's the way life goes.
I think, and I speak from my own perspective here, that those jet black threads merely give contrast to the colourful ones and makes them pop out a little more than otherwise they would.
Life has no recipe for success...it's just life. I like to think I can exert a little influence, shape it my way, but I like that it's also a little unpredictable. Like you suggest, if we hadn't lived our past, we wouldn't be who we are in the present and wouldn't be able to combine the two for our futures.
Thanks for your comment Ms. M, and I hope you've been very well.
I love how you use this analogy to describe your life, it's wonderful and having a beautiful life is up to each of us, some days we have it and some days we don't but we have to try at least.
Are you familiar with the Hero's Journey that is used in fantasy novels? I don't describe myself as a hero, gosh not even remotely close but I think my life has to a large degree resembled the kind of events that can ultimately make or break a person ~ either way coming out changed on the other end.
I love quotes, have been finding good ones for years and collecting them. I would never be able to choose a single one as a favourite though.
We all need to be the hero of our own storrt I guess. I mean in the sense that we have to do difficult things, work hard, get out of our comfort zone, show ownership, resilience and persistence and all of that stuff that can be really hard to do. Only then can we respnthe rewards. Make sense?
Thanks alot for sharing the very inspirational post sir. Indeed, life is filled with moments of ups and downs, but in all things, we keep moving. That is why I find this very quote by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. very interesting.
In all things, the most important thing is to keep moving and surely, reaching the destination is assured!
That is a very good quote and one I have written in a notebook of quotes I've gathered along the way. Persistence, endurance and consistency is critical to achievement.
Thanks for commenting.
That's very correct. You're welcome Sir
Mine isn't much of a quote, it's more like a poem or a story framed in the wall of the house I grew up in.
The lesson it thought me was "responsibility and the use of one's initiative".
Growing up, my father would use it to explain that we didn't need our mother to remind us of our individual responsibilities,instead we need to have learnt what we ought to do and do it without being told.
So rather than going about asking who poured the water on the floor, you could clean it up to prevent an unsuspecting or unseeing passer-by from slipping over it and falling.
Growing up and still growing, I have learnt to take responsibility for my own actions and use my initiative appropriately. I have ofcourse not mastered the art, but it remains an invaluable lesson.
Responsibility and initiative are two things that go together quite well I think and I believe those who apply them to their lives probably reap the rewards pf doing so. It sounds like your father was a wise man also, and it's good to hear those lessons stayed with you.
Thank you Galenkp
Just my favorite poem here about your weaving tapestry topic.
Weaving our soul’s garments
“We are all busy weavers. Forever are we throwing the
shuttle backward and forward, each moment leaving
one new thread in the web of our life, which shall stay
there forever. Every thought, every feeling, every motion,
every light fancy that plays but for a moment in the soul,
becomes a thread which is instantly a permanent part of the
life we are living. Our words and acts are threads clean and
beautiful or stained and blemished, according to their moral
character.
Thus we are forever weaving, and the web that we
make our souls must wear in eternity. How important it is
that we put into this fabric only threads of immortal beauty!
If we do God’s will always, and train ourselves to think over
God’s thoughts, and to receive into our heart the influences of
God’s love and grace, and to yield ever and only to God’s Spirit,
we shall weave for our souls a seamless robe of righteousness
which shall appear radiant and lovely when all earth’s garments
have faded and crumbled to dust.”
(In Green Pastures – JR Miller 1927)
That's a pretty decent effort for sure, quite religious which isn't my thing, but not surprising considering the author. Thanks for sharing this, the words are all quite lovely.
Thank you and yes when I meditate with that poem, it always brings a sense of clarity and direction to my mind. Especially to treat all others fairly and squarely.
Have you considered keeping a physical or digital commonplace book for your own personal quotations collection?
I have a notebook with quotes and my own thoughts dating back twenty five years actually. I'd add a new one in as I can across it and I take a look now and then. It's interesting to see my thoughts and the date I wrote them. I haven't thought about a digital version though.
In some ways, HIVE is my journal. I know some of my thoughts on other forums are gone. I wonder what I would still support and what I would now renounce were I to find it on a web archive somewhere.
It's always interesting to see words written by oneself many years later.
I wrote 445,000 of them in the form of a fictional book over a year period in 2001-2002 and had the many pages hard bound as a gift to someone close to me. She loved it. I still open it sometimes and look at the story; it has appeal still, but now I'd write it differently. I guess that's what time and experience does to us huh? Causes us to change.
Dear Mr @galenkp
The tapestry of our life, which we knit with all our advantages and disadvantages, cannot be disassembled and knitted again. What has passed is still passed. We can only take lessons from some of our shortcomings by learning from them directly or from the experiences of others, for our capital to knit in the next tomorrow's life.
The tapestry of our lives is knitted from small threads that blend in the harmonization of the colors of life. Everything must start from small things that are done with all our hearts and our best efforts. I believe and learn from what Vincent Van Gogh said: "Big things are done by a series of small things put together."
Have a great day!
You've nicely paraphrased my entire post, thanks for commenting and for the Van Gogh quote also.
You are very right, I love your blog it's really amazing
Thank you, I appreciate it.
!hivebits
I don't know what hivebits are, but thanks anyway. ✅
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