Even when it feels like I'm performing on a high wire far off the ground without a net, one's always there.
That basic realization - that there's always a net - freed me to be ME in each moment. That's what we're each meant to be: our deepest, truest, most fabulous self, whether that's an over-the-top persona like my own, a quieter, more introspective personality, or any of a zillion other types.
We're meant to respect that otherness in all we meet, from family & friends to merest acquaintances & flat-out strangers. That requires a willingness to perhaps have our experiences take off in unexpected ways.
Makes sense in an organic life, which experiences true manners as embracing kindness & a desire for compassion rather than using artificial niceties to maintain a superficial balance. Much like gardeners who opt to hand pick beetles off plants & enrich their soil with sometimes smelly compost, rather than relying on chemical sprays & additives.
The people I respect the most, who seem to me to have accomplished the most within their families and the larger worlds, embody this very organic quality - they've succeeded by being who they are & helping others do the same. They seem to see the presenting next steps in front of them & take them, apparently without fear.
Which is not to say it's easy, this organic life. Just like in gardening, it takes a lot of time & often intensive work. We're called up to develop fertile ground & plant seeds suited for that soil. To prune away the dead parts, winnow back areas to let the sun get through, split apart clumps of & replant in new areas for fresh growth.
Not easy, but rewarding.
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