Inspired by Antonio Machado's "Traveller, there is no path"

Traveller, the path is your tracks⁠
And nothing more.⁠
Traveller, there is no path⁠
The path is made by walking.⁠
By walking you make a path⁠
And turning, you look back⁠
At a way you will never tread again⁠
Traveller, there is no road⁠
Only wakes in the sea.⁠

Flying a kite is an exercise in life: a balance in command and release, to give into the direction of the wind, to maintain enough tension to stay above the earth while being flexible enough to respond to sudden changes that can send you crashing down. The one who flies the kite is not an enemy, a conqueror of the wind, but rather its partner. Working in tandem with forces beyond our control is how our lives stay afloat.

One of my favorite lines from the Tao Te Ching highlights the comparison between Nature or the Tao and the human experience. How often do I rush about trying to accomplish everything I set out for myself only to feel disappointment, frustration, and even anger when I don't? What do I feel is so necessary to achieve -- only myself, in this lifetime -- when I am a part of a continuous oneness that accomplishes all things within an infinite and unknowable arc of time?

There's no shortage of opinions about what we should do with your lives. In nearly every moment of our lives from the second we're born into a society, we are met with expectations from family, friends, teachers, employers, colleagues, and random strangers. Of course the vast majority of transactional expectations are necessary for any functioning society. For example, pedestrians expect cars to stop at a red light so they may cross safely with confidence.

Recently, however, I was confronted with a very real question by someone who was struggling to find common ground with her spouse on how to live more fully. Whether she was simply venting to a compassionate listener, seeking perspective or advice on how to move forward, I found myself concluding that such a personal crisis wouldn't be best addressed by consulting others, but by meditating clearly on oneself. What does that mean?

I think about this quote by Martha Graham, a dancer and choreographer who revolutionized modern dance as an art form:

"There is a vitality, a life force, a quickening that is translated through you into action, and there is only one of you in all time, this expression is unique, and if you block it, it will never exist through any other medium; and be lost. The world will not have it. It is not your business to determine how good it is, not how it compares with other expression. It is your business to keep it yours clearly and directly, to keep the channel open. You do not even have to believe in yourself or your work. You have to keep open and aware directly to the urges that motivate you. Keep the channel open."

While she may have been addressing artistry, creativity, and personal expression, I re-read the words "life force," and know that the same ideas apply to all actions we take in life.

We often think of what we want to do with life, as though life were a medium to mold under our will. Or maybe life is a tool, a means through which our desired ends might be accomplished. And maybe both are true in a certain light, but when we feel lost and don't know what to do, the perspective that life is instead a force moving through us can be a remarkably freeing and awe-inspiring exercise in surrender. To pay attention to what kind of life that is, to give it permission to express itself through us -- even against what others might expect of us -- can be an even more powerful invitation.

As the first illustration of 2024, I hope you find chances to answer this invitation. May you listen to your heart, may you trust your gut, and may you act with a clear mind. 💛

Ever since reading this quote by Baal Tem Shov, I've felt a sense of comfort (although small, ever so small) in moments of great uncertainty in my life. I hope you recognize each moment of your transformation, that no matter what happens, whoever you become will be there always in place of what you have been.

This line is the first of a poem written by Song Dynasty poet Lu You, who uses the metaphor of a plum blossom to laud integrity and authenticity over flattery and favor in a bid for influence and power:

无意苦争春， I have no intention of holding onto Spring, 
一任群芳妒。 I leave jealousy to myriad other flowers.
零落成泥碾作尘， As my blossoms fall and turn to dust,
只有香如故。 Only their fragrance remains unchanged.

Plum blossoms appear often in the final, coldest days of winter, before other flowers bloom. However, they don't stick around, vying for attention or jostling to be the most beautiful in the spring. They fall to the mud, crushed into dust, having done their duty and whose fragrance (or in the case of man, whose legacy) is all that remains for future generations.

I feel this to be especially relevant in a time where influence, especially digital influence, is considered valuable social currency. Having found my beginnings in social media and continuing to rely on it to share messages that have helped me and maybe can help you as well, I think it's useful to recognize whether I am "holding onto Spring" and remind myself to let go at the right time.