So, here’s the thing. I’ve been looking at a ton of art and some poetry as well and I realise something…nothing is anything. Nothing has any true worth until someone ascribes value to it. Often, I’m racked with self-doubt particularly with regards to my creative skills; my ability to paint, to decorate, to sing, to write etc. Yet everyday braver people are just pouring themselves out unto pages, mixing their souls in acrylic and peppering canvases, belting their woes in harmony, all with nary a care whether the world agrees with them about the existence of their talent or not. I on the other hand, sit twiddling my thumbs, tiptoeing around life hoping only to arrive safely at death, afraid to do things because I might fail at them.

Well not in 2014, so help me God.

I think my moment of liberation came when I saw this famous painting, ‘The Scream’ by Edvard Munch (recently sold for $119 million FYI).

I’m like, “uhhhhhhm, you need more people to confirm your alleged greatness sir…ALL the midgets in China, to be specific!” Lol. But guess what?? My opinion doesn’t matter at all because the greats are actually great simply because of their unshakeable, innate belief in their greatness, and perhaps more importantly, their quiet but solid belief in the truth that they deserve a place in the world and are relevant to its happenings.

That sort of confidence makes you infallible.

I want to be infallible. To be infallible means to be unable to fail; to be a consistent winner. You can’t fail if you see everything as a win; a potential lesson, an opportunity to analyse and learn from your mistakes.

Perspective is everything.

“The gazelle eats the grass and is devoured by the lion. It isn’t a matter of who is the strongest, but God’s way of showing us the cycle of death and resurrection. And within that cycle there are neither winners nor losers, there are only stages that must be gone through. when the human heart understands this, it is free and able to accept difficult times without being deceived by moments of glory. Both will pass. One will succeed the other. And the cycle will continue…”
– ‘Manuscripts Found in Accra’, Paolo Coelho

This year, I’m trying new things one of which is writing poetry. Regardless of the many hours learnt studying literature at school, I will still write poems with absent rhyme schemes, merrily ignoring pentameters and all the fancy poetry regulations, but with what in my mind is some semblance of rhythm. No one needs to agree, I’m writing poetry anyways. Lol. Hey, if William Carlos Williams’ ‘This is Just to Say’ poem can be listed in the top 10 greatest poems of all time, I sure as all hot hell have a Nobel Laureate in my future!

Happiness

What if everything we wanted was here, now?
What if Happiness didn’t dance Love’s elusive twist?
What if we could reach out and grab
Hold and feel, stroke to heal
This happiness we desperately need?
What if everything we needed was here, now?

-Wendelyn