The other day, I visited a friend at her home and found her putting flower stickers all over her bike. My heart leapt at the sweetness of it, and I immediately wanted to put flower stickers all over my bike, too! My friend, an intuitive soul, insisted that I take her leftover flower stickers home with me and go put them on my bike that I ride almost every day around town.
And that’s what I did. I cannot tell you how much delight I have gotten this week by putting flower stickers all over my blue bike!
Here’s what I know to be true. The moment I saw her bike, there was an instant soul lift, a recognition of a part of myself that I’ve missed. The part that is more vigilant about creating experiences that fill me up. The part of myself that is fiercely protective of my spark and keeping it lit. The part of myself that thrives on consciously creating beauty everywhere.
Little moments like this are happening a lot these days. I can feel myself emerging from a fog, reconnecting with the essence of my spirit in small and big ways.
(Print available here)
As I navigate midlife, one thing becoming clear is that it’s an opportunity to resurrect vibrant parts of ourselves that have been a little dormant. And even better? We get to merge them with the current parts of ourselves that have gained so much wisdom through the years.
It sort of feels like a marriage, like finding a partner we simply cannot live without, the love so strong. Yes, just like that. I am falling in love with the parts of myself that I have dearly missed. She puts flower stickers on her bike, listens to blues music in the mornings, takes her journal everywhere, lights a candle every morning, phones her friends often, tells the truth even when it’s hard, makes her spaces beautiful with vintage finds, paints her fingernails, visit thrift stores on the regular, and makes plans for having FUN.
And now, here we are, the me that I’ve missed and the late 40s something I am today. We’re recoupling, enthusiastically dating, and I’m certain we’ll remarry. It feels really, really special. And, like any great love, I’m excited about who we’ll become in our wisdom years. All I know is there will be beauty, truth, and a lot of flowers.
Your post reminds me of the fun I had in childhood with collecting and trading stickers. I had a sticker album. Also, it reminds me that I need to remember to write my daily gratitude s in my planner. It’s hard sometimes to stay positive when my creative process is so slow.
JUST found your blog. It is wonderful! I am going to binge read and, I’m sure, enjoy every second. I live in the Black Hills of South Dakota in a little home of 960 square feet packed to the core! I just love everything and can’t bear to let go of what I love. Love your home, by the way.