While Mona Lisas and Mad Hatters Turn Around and Say Good Morning to the Night

When we began our Senior Project Australian Adventure and I challenged the students to write weekly blogs, they stared back at me with blank looks on their faces. Daunted by the task of writing was a definite draw back, but expressing their true, inner thoughts was the real monster in the closet.

Putting on my teacher hat, I attempted to find an example of how best to tackle this new chore. And then the light bulb appeared above my head, music. We all have some sort of musical “go to” place. From old school sources, yes I still have all my 45 records from junior high school, to digital accounts; it is likely that a soothing tune is no more than a finger tip away. A place we store all our favorite tracks that help us guide the many ups, downs, twist and turns of our daily life. Our playlist is a true glimpse into our souls. And maybe not something we are willing to share with the rest of the world.

Writing a blog is like exposing your playlist to the universe. It is scary putting your thoughts out in the public and opening yourself to the feedback of your readers. Or worse yet have a new post met with an empty void. I used songs to start each of my blogs down under, to keep in theme with my original playlist lesson. But now that I am back and my loyal readers (all 10 of you) are demanding new content. I found myself looking to music for my inspirations.

Attracted to the less straightforward lyrics, multiple outcomes and endless puzzles were quickly becoming a theme. Returning to my daily life six weeks ago I was instantly greeted with many new obstacles and or changes in my world. Some I had control over and others were just happening. I began to feel like Alice chasing the White Rabbit down the hole. Did I have to follow, expose myself to the change or could I sit back and wait for the outcome? And if I didn’t follow, would I be missing out on the best adventure of my life.

Maybe embracing the confusion and anxiety you experience in your daily life, although frightful to admit, will pull your world into perspective? By exposing your weaknesses you will only grow and expand as a person. Just like writing a blog post, you get braver which each and every word published. Maybe every time we turn the music up loud we are actually opening ourselves to a truer self?

Standing still and watching the rest of society try new things will never get you to the ultimate tea party. Personally, turning at the corner of “lets try something new”, always seems better than stopping at the crossing of “what might have been.” I am not saying we shouldn’t be cautious of giant pink cats with grins or eating unidentified food, but moving forward through the journey is the only way to find home.

While Mona Lisas and Mad Hatters
Sons of bankers, sons of lawyers
Turn around and say good morning to the night
For unless they see the sky
But they can’t and that is why
They know not if it’s dark outside or light