The Masterpiece

It was the year 2o25; a time of hope and imagination as a new cycle arrived surrounded by fireworks and cheering, a wave of light carrying the promise of renewed energy and dreams to create great new things.

With the old year, a cycle of loss, readjustment and transformation, came to a close. It left enveloped in a mix of gratitude, nostalgia and honor as always, for in the end, it all happens in the name of growth and the greater good.

By the window sat a young woman with glassy and bright eyes looking at the night sky, reaching out to the stars to share her wishes for the new year. Not unfamiliar with detailed plans and repetitive resolutions, this time she had no intention of asking for anything too specific, for Destiny had taught her something important in the past years: one can have a plan, yes, but there are forces in motion that are ruled by greater laws than human will.

Knowing all this, a true desire remained deep in her heart that rose above any sense of disillusionment or scepticism. Even in the darkest hours this wish always shone bright: a light that could be dimmed but never truly disappear.

"I want to create a masterpiece"

As the woman said this, with her eyes closed and full of faith, a distant star glimmered in agreement.

"This is it."

...

You guessed it!

That woman is me, and I wrote this cheesy story introduction just to make that clear (and catch your attention!). Well, and also because I genuinely want to get better at writing in the third person and... to be honest, who doesn't like to be the main character in a short story?

But what is this mystical "masterpiece" I dream of creating, anyway?

Well, the answer is easy and complex at the same time; easy because it's a four-letter word, but complex because:

LIFE

This year, I've decided that my masterpiece will be my life!

How cool is it to think about our year as a painting or any kind of creative masterpiece? What about our whole lives? A stroke of genius here, a speck of disappointment there, some mistakes to cover up with beautiful flowers, a splash of pink imagination and a great amount of shiny presence and gratitude.

Of course, if I had to summarize some of my creative goals for this year I would say: to express myself more openly and freely, finally write that fantasy novel that I've been dreaming about for YEARS, and write MUCH more on Vocal to improve my writing skills and join challenges, which was actually my goal since last year (and then, well, I didn't)...

But, honestly, if last year taught me something it's that the ONE thing we have control over in our lives is how we experience things IN THE MOMENT, not before (I'm talking to you anxiety!) and not after.

Most importantly, the healthiest and most beautiful thing we can do for our happiness is:

1) to appreciate every little or big thing that happens in our lives

2) embrace it all as part of our own, intricate personal masterpiece

Every lesson, glimmer of hope and good deed is a part of it. Every mistake, regret, heartache, loss or challenge is also a key part of unlocking the beauty of this mystical and unique puzzle that is our existence, and that we can only experience once. That's it, ONLY ONCE.

So, the key is to know how to enjoy it!

In honor of that, I've decided that my creative goal is to live this year with the joy of a toddler decorating a frame with pasta and glitter: Trying things out, trusting and enjoying the process, adding sparkles to everything and not getting too frustrated if it all turns out a little wonky.

Most importantly, my intention is to stay present through it ALL. ♡

I don't even know if this entry will still make it into the "New Year, New Project" Challenge since it's way too short because I'm writing it at 3:00 a.m. on the day of the deadline and I'm falling asleep...

And, yet, considering my creative intentions for this year, this is already a HUGE win because:

1) I'm facing my fears by sharing this,

2) It will be great thing to remember,

3) I'm writing more without stressing out about it,

4).....It was LOADS of fun to write!

Anyway, I wish you a beautiful new year and that all your creative wishes come true!