People have asked me, “What does it mean to “LAY YOUR HANDS BARE?” I write this in capital letters mainly because of how it’s represented on the little book of wonder, but also because I would like to talk about what inspired me to not only display my work to the online and offline world, but prove to myself that I can accomplish any goal that I set my eyes on.

So what does the title actually mean?

For many years, I was afraid to express myself. Whether it was through a poem, or standing in a room where no one understood or appreciated what I had to say. That fear followed me around continuously, and at times, it still does, but things have changed and improved often since those days of constant anxiety, depressive tendencies and so forth.

Back to the question. So, what the title means is, I surrender myself to creative freedom and truth. My heart’s emotive chords finally have a voice. The mind is free of having to hide behind comfort zones. Yes, there will always be moments of self-doubt and sometimes, the struggle will seem unbearable, but it will no longer define the human being I am meant to become. What people think, is what they can. We’ll agree to disagree.

It’s a journey we find ourselves on, through the good times, bad times, as well as the unpredictable moments faced, conquered etc. Which move we make, from this point on, is only half of the story. Our stories will differ, so will our experiences, our hopes, our dreams, our truth. What’s going to occur in the future is something we can only begin to imagine, perhaps wonder about.

Creativity had always been my escape from reality, but now, I truly embrace all that comes and departs. Nothing lasts forever and that’s how it was intended.

Every moment of our lives, is another one less to have, as time passes along. The blue sky we see as morning comes, is yet another one of those beautiful sights that we might never see on our next page. So, to live a fulfilled life, perhaps we should embrace the simplicity life offers and not worry about when or if something goes right like we imagined it would.

Of course, we do a lot of things to survive and live, as any human being would. But, with a little gratitude and less worry, it would be somewhat of a better experience to have later on. Maybe, we wouldn’t feel as bad. That’s the beauty of clarity; its sobering effect.