“If you want to be a grocer, or a general, or a politician, or a judge, you will invariably become it; that is your punishment. If you never know what you want to be, if you live what some might call the dynamic life but what I will call the artistic life, if each day you are unsure of who you are and what you know you will never become anything, and that is your reward.”
~Oscar Wilde
I came across this reference to Oscar Wilde’s quote through Ashley Parcher Photography. She adds this comment:
“Actually, not knowing what you want to be, reinventing yourself every morning, not being a noun but a verb, moving in life, not being fixed in life, is a privilege.”
Sometimes because of duty, responsibilities, financial pressures, family needs, social expectations, we are forced to choose a fixed and stable path. For many years, I felt privileged to be able to pursue a dance career. Financially, life was difficult, but oh, life was so exciting. But there came a time when I was ready for something more stable, and I returned to school to get a Bachelor of Education and become a teacher. It had rewards too. I was grateful for that steady income and regular hours which allowed me to be with my family. I learned a lot. I contributed to many children’s education and love of learning. It wasn’t always exciting, but it was satisfying.
Now, in retirement, I am able to return to that freer life of what Ashley Parcher calls, being a verb rather than a noun. I decide each day what I want to do with the free hours ahead of me. It is in my retirement years that I travelled around the world. I became a published author. I discovered NIA Dance and conscious dance. I began gardening in earnest. Cooking became a delight rather than a chore. Photography became a way of capturing the world and seeing it with new eyes. Writing in all its genres; journals, poetry, short stories, memoir, research, offered new areas to explore and create with words. Every day is a new opportunity to seek, create, and enjoy the world. It is a privilege.
I am full of gratitude for all the opportunities I have been offered in life. Some came my way through fixed routines and lifestyles, some through synchronicity, others I actively sought. Whether I was a noun for a time or a verb, each choice and role has contributed to a joyful and fulfilling life. I am thankful for all of it.