THE EQUALIZER - 263/365

life must be falsely manipulated

in order to always be 'fair'

THE YEARNER - 201/365

to long for what

'is not'

is to eliminate

the possibility of what

'can be'

THE PICKLEPUSS - 198/365

be mindful of sorrow

as it can close the window

to the soul

and open the door

to disappointment

THE CONTENTED STONE 182/365

to accept a situation as it "is"

is to experience "peace"

as it should be

THE SAD-SACK 145/365

to feel powerless

is to have the need

to change another

Question:

What does "acceptance" mean to you?

Clay Ingredients:

Sculpey Translucent

Holtz Distress powder (peeled paint)

THE HIND-SIGHTER - 109/365

"I saw that one coming...I tried to tell you but you wouldn't listen...if you had listened to me we wouldn't be in this mess. The hand writing was on the wall...plain as day for all to see....everyone but YOU obviously."

My Reflection:

Like everyone else, I try and figure out the future and then plan my actions accordingly. The problem is, the future has a mind of it's own and doesn't always see eye to eye with the present.

I'm learning that depending on how I view them, I have the power to make all outcomes eventually favorable. And that perhaps the ability to transform my future by making peace with the present, is a much greater gift than making accurate predictions.

Question:

How accurate is your "hindsight?"

THE ZOO-KEEPER - 103/365

"Why do I have to take care of EVERYBODY - can't they just take care of themselves for a change? They're always yelling and screaming about something - it's just a zoo around here.... I'm getting a headache."

My Reflection:

Nothing makes me more uncomfortable than discord between other people. But trying to be the one managing that, can feel like trying to get the monkeys and tigers in the zoo to play together in the same cage.

I'm wondering if some people just aren't meant to get along. And when I try and "fix things" between them, all I end up doing is taking away the opportunity for them to learn something about themselves and come to a better conclusion than I could ever bring about.

Perhaps I need to learn to be with my own "discomfort" before trying to manage the "harmony" I think someone else should be experiencing.

Question:

How do you keep the peace?

THE IMMPOSTER - 98/365

"I am who you think I am not. I'm not who you think I am.

I am who I think I am but not who I'd like to be."

My Reflection:

I've been trying to get to "know myself" for years and every time I think I've figured myself out, I do something that surprises me and makes me realize that I am endless possibilities depending on the circumstances.

So, perhaps to "know myself" simply requires a sense of humor and a willingness to "accept myself" whomever that "self" may be.

Question:

Who are YOU?

THE MASQUERADER 86/365

"We've already met - I'm the guy next door. You probably don't recognize me because this is my REAL face - the one you saw last week was a mask."

My Reflection:

I suppose, like everyone else, there are certain thoughts and feelings I try to keep to myself. But that's usually when my face takes on a "mask-like" quality...like an itchy wool sweater I'm not comfortable wearing but would feel even less comfortable going without.

Inevitably, wearing the sweater becomes unbearable and that's usually when I find "unmasking" myself to be a welcome relief from the strain of pretense.

I'm learning that for me, "courage" comes from the willingness to reveal what is hidden and the "confidence" to accept it as it is.

Question:

How do you "unmask" yourself?

THE STALER - 12/365

"Okay, I'll be right there - I just have a few more things to do.

Just give me a second - I need a minute more and then I'll totally be ready to go.

Well...it's taking me a little longer than I expected so maybe you should start out and I'll catch up with you.

Oh no....did I miss out? Darn, I really wanted to go with you. I'm so disappointed...next time for sure."

My Reflection:

I've heard somewhere that when something annoys me that it's usually because it's something within myself that I haven't come to terms with. I wonder if I, like The Staler, cram too much into my day and then end up not doing the things that, in the long run, are going to matter most to me?

I guess I'll always have things to do - on the other hand, spending time with a person I care about might not always be possible. The challenge is how to not think about the things I have to do WHILE I'm spending time with the person I love.

Question:

How do you do it?

THE WHINER - 1/365

"It’s not fair, why do I have to go first? I have no template, no instructions, no idea what I’m supposed to say. I need some rules here - something to follow that will tell me that I’m doing it right. What if I say something wrong or what if I don't fit in with the other heads? It’s important for me to fit in - to feel like I have a specific, meaningful job and to feel like I make a difference. So you know what, if I make a fool of myself, YOU’RE going to take the blame. I’ll just say I’m new to this blog thing and I have no idea what’s going on. They’ll feel sorry for me (“poor thing”) - they’ll feel sorry for me and they’ll give me the benefit of the doubt. Won’t they?"

My Reflection:

This guy started talking to me before he even came into existence. So, I was a little surprised by the expression on his face - didn’t look quite like the “whiner” type - maybe a little skeptical but his face definitely didn’t match his message. I tried to make him more “whiny” (whatever that is) but he just kept looking pleasantly skeptical. Maybe I don’t have enough technical knowledge to make it happen yet or maybe there’s a subtext to the message. So, I’m prompted to ask myself, “do I look pleasantly skeptical when I’m whining?”

I love to whine - just makes me feel better. I was told once that we are all either martyrs or whiners and there’s nothing wrong with that as long as we acknowledge it. That way we can warn others when we’re about to do it which makes it much easier to tolerate.

Think about it, it’s usually the ones who aren’t aware they are “martyring” or “whining” who are the most annoying. So, the question I have for myself is this....when I’m whining, am I up front about it or do I do it with a pleasant face and act like it’s no big deal? Wait, maybe that’s really martyring. Oh my god, maybe I’m both a martyr AND a whiner.

Question:

What about you?