Learning to Fly

When I was a child, I dreamt of flying all the time. In the morning I would open my eyes knowing I had experienced something magical, my whole being vibrating with a sense of wonder. As an adult, those dreams came less and less, but when they did, I was left with a lightness of spirit as if I’d been released from the gravitas of my life.

Flying dreams are the best metaphor I can think of for how I hope to live a creative life. In those dreams, the act of flying never came easily; sometimes my very life depended on it. I would run and leap over and over again before something finally ‘caught’ and I would escape into the safety of my imagination. Flying helped me to see the world differently—the magnitude of what could be versus the minutiae of what was. But most importantly, dreaming of flying released me from that which held me back—fear of the unknown.

Bravery, Gilbert suggests, is the product of a certain kind of obstinacy in the face of fear — and that obstinacy, rather than one’s occupation, is what defines the creative life:

“While the paths and outcomes of creative living will vary wildly from person to person, I can guarantee you this: A creative life is an amplified life. It’s a bigger life, a happier life, an expanded life, and a hell of a lot more interesting life. Living in this manner — continually and stubbornly bringing forth the jewels that are hidden within you — is a fine art, in and of itself.”

Once again, thanks to Maria Popova at brainpickings.org