Are we on the lonely side
Are we so lost in the dark of our hearts
That there’s no light of day
Somebody left the gate open
You know we got lost on the way
Come save us a runaway train
Gone insane
How do we not fade
How do we not fade away
Into the wild
How are we living living living
Into the wild
How are we living living living
My ears fill with LP’s soaring voice of her song, “Into the Wild”, as I stare out the window of the Airtrain, smoothly gliding along the rails towards Terminal 4 at JFK International Airport. I’m going to Peru.
And I’ve decided this will be my theme song.
I’m going to a new place. One I’ve never been to, unknown. Temperatures ranging from high 20’s to low 70’s, altitudes up to 14,000 feet, ancient Incan ruins…..rising mountain ranges, and an indigenous culture that survives in harsh conditions.
And birds…hundreds of them. Birds I’ve never seen before of all shape and sizes, with long tail feathers, piercing calls, and wingspans up to 11 feet.
As I lift off from my life in NYC, and the schedule, calendar, and to-do’s….LP’s words ring in my ear.
Into the Wild.
How ARE we living?
As Artists and Creatives, we have something to say. We have a story to share, an expression to put out to the world, and the question arises,
How are we LIVING?
Our Creativity is not separate from our lives, and most of all, not separate from our mindset and perspective. If we are to leave a legacy, in the form of our art, words, and work, are we doing that in a way that is sustainable?
Your passion and message has a purpose. When you share your story, it opens the door for your audience to do the same. When you have the courage to step forward with honesty, it reads. Your audience can tell. They can also tell if you are lying, or creating your work based on what you think you “should” say, or what others are saying.
When we think of iconic celebrities and change-makers, there is usually a commonality.
Their uniqueness.
Elizabeth Gilbert, Beyonce, Oprah. They are not afraid to share their struggles, their vulnerabilities, and their power. And each of them are doing it from a place of honesty.
You may even call this WILD.
And as their audience? We experience absolute magic, believing this is possible for ourselves. We are inspired, and a loop is created that initiates our work that is then seen by our audience.
And it goes on and on….
Imagine if what you created, what you said, and put out to the world helped someone else to get out of bed? Just like the song, or book, or speech that motivated you to pursue your dreams?
In this way, we never fade. We are actually stepping INTO the Creative flow that is happening every minute. And feeding from a source that sustains, not destroys.
When we isolate as Creatives, we become lost. We are cutting ourselves off from our greatest source and ultimately our audience.
That runaway train will derail you.
So, how are you Living?
My ears fill with LP’s soaring voice, as the Airtrain glides along the rails away from JFK airport and heads towards the E train to take me back to my home in Queens.
My face is sun kissed from the altitudinal Andes light, and my backpack filled with a new list of 181 species of birds I’ve seen. My mind full of Machu Picchu, Ollantaytambo, and Cusco City. In my suitcase, my hiking boots still carrying the dirt from ancient ruins….traveling from centuries ago in Peru to present day NYC.
I had left for Peru ready to relax, feeling the pinch of my tight schedule and many obligations, ready to step into an environment I didn’t know. One where I was going to meet new people,and spend time with family.
I felt I was “flying”, setting myself free from my NYC life for a week, heading into a Wild setting.
As I looked out over the New York skyline, I remembered standing in the early morning up on the Abra Malaga pass in Peru. It was freezing, and the mountains rose on all sides of us.
Except for this break, where two mountains sloped down.
Within the break, clouds were dissipating as the sun rose, and my eyes caught a silhouette against the white, soaring. This was the largest bird I had ever seen, and I pointed it out to the guide who identified it immediately.
The Andean Condor.
With a wing span of 11 feet, it glided easily and I couldn’t take my binoculars off its magic. I had never seen one in the wild before. This was a first.
Regal, expansive, and beautiful.
I was inspired, and I knew this magnificent creature would make it’s way into my writing, into my story. I could even feel my own shoulders flexing, the wings underneath remembering their ability to fly.
Remembering MY ability to fly.
I had thought that LP’s song would just be a theme for the trip to Peru, but as I turned the key in my apartment, I had a new thought, one that included where I was headed next.
Into the Wild.
Every day. Here in NYC, here in my writing, here in my offering, and here with you.
How are we living, living, living……….