Mariposa, drifting through the wind, couldn’t wait to grow wings so that your life could begin.
Found it hard to come out of your shell, but that’s a secret you’d never tell.
Mariposa, with the colors of fiery embers, went searching for warmth this September.
All grown-up, with so much to live up to, suffered silently, while nobody else knew.
Mariposa, why do you cry? withstood wounds, yet still you could fly.
Though you held on for as long as you could, you endured more than anyone should.
Mariposa, breathe deep and close your eyes. You gained a new kind of wings, so in the place you left is where your memory lies.
Once just an adolescent, now your spirit shines iridescent.
Mariposa, your metamorphosis was remarkable for all to witness, it’s a tragic tale, your story had to end in sickness.
~~~ Much like last month’s post, inspiration for this piece came not from a true personal experience, but simply by learning about the life of monarch butterflies. Did you know that final generation monarch butterflies (born in spring, migrate south in fall) typically have a much longer lifespan (months as opposed to weeks) than the first generation (born late summer/early fall, migrate north in spring)? However, any of the migratory monarchs are likely to face threats to their survival along their journey. Therefore, some of the final-generation monarchs may not live as long as they are expected to, hence the idea behind this piece. I used the Spanish translation of butterfly, “mariposa”, as a nod to Spanish Heritage Month (September 15th-October 15th). If you’ve made it to the end of this, thanks for reading!
Today marks the start of the third year writing for this blog site. For the past three years I’ve learned so much about myself through writing and sharing my words with the world.
This year l put out some of my favorites pieces to date. At the same time, I faced some of the toughest times creatively. I came to a point where I felt stuck, completely sucked dry of any ideas. I felt burnt out on the one thing I love to do the most. As a writer, it is the scariest feeling to feel like you have nothing left to say. There is no doubt in my mind that writing is what I want to pursue, therefore I vowed to myself not to quit. I think the first step in following any personal passion is to be your own biggest supporter. When your efforts seem futile, you have to keep moving.
Oftentimes I find myself revisiting and reading over works of mine as a reminder to myself of my potential. In the name of recognizing my own personal growth through my writing journey thus far, I want to take a look back and proudly showcase some of my favorite pieces I have written within the past year.
I think it’s fitting that one of the first times I felt truly proud of a work that I put out came earlier this year when I wrote about my love for writing.
As mentioned previously, this year met challenges that I had yet to face so intensely before. Just when I thought my creativity was all used up, I decided the only way I could accurately portray such daunting feelings is to write about them, so I used them as inspiration and turned them into one of my favorites pieces I have released to date.
The dichotomy of these two works is distinct, but I now realize this is the reality for many creatives.
Since the start of my pursuance of writing, and this year especially, I turned to words directly from various writers in order to stay inspired and driven to keep moving with my passion.
In the notes app on my phone, I keep a list of quotes that I feel I can relate to or that motivate me. These are just the quotes I added to the list shortly before the new year.
Inspiration is all around us; in the busy streets, on our televisions. It’s potent in every melody of the songs we play and in the lines of every book we read. It’s abundant in all aspects of art, we just have to open our eyes and recognize it. I personally am guilty of not searching for it enough. This year, I owe it to myself to seek inspiration. I will read more, observe more. Only then can I write to my best ability.
As a firm believer in manifestation, in every article I have ever written for New Year’s Day, I typically speak on my goals for the coming year. I’ve come to learn that goal setting or the trendy idea of “New Year’s resolutions” are merely wishful thinking without progressive action.
While we all have the capacity for our words to become our truth, sometimes the things we wish to manifest for ourselves are material possessions we expect to acquire immediately. These expectations only lead to despondency and reduced ambition. As of recent I’ve found solace in positive affirmations. In your daily life, you must speak with a positive attitude as if you already have everything you could ever dream of. Rather than expect to receive anything you want, truly believe that you deserve it and actively put your efforts into making it become a possible reality.
You can’t put a measurement to success, nor can you compare each of your own achievements to those of someone else. There is no timeline to when you will see your wildest dreams come true. All you can do is hold yourself accountable under your personal goals and pursue them with tenacity.
2022 taught me about patience and approaching each day with optimism. I can’t be certain what the future holds for me and my journey through writing, but I do know I am full of creativity and with it I will achieve big things someday. Until then, I just have to keep moving.
~~~ Happy New Year! Here’s to a happy and prosperous 2023! 🎆🎇
》 Faith It ‘til You Make It 《 