I recently wished a close friend that I have known since childhood a very happy birthday. She was struggling a bit with the number………..that number of trips around the sun that gets so much attention when celebrating a birthday. I mentioned that she was every age that she has ever been, from childhood to now. In trying to make sense of that, I realized that our lives are a journey of creation like any artistic expression. A writer starts with a rough draft, outline or maybe just some scribbled notes on a scrap of paper. A painter may start with a sketch or even doodles. A sculptor starts with a lump of clay. The creative expression may progress in fits and starts but over time, the art grows in depth, dimension, texture, color, tone, etc. Each word, brush stroke, or manipulation shaping the object little by little. 

When a child is born, we try to imagine the human that they will grow into. They are a blank slate. They come into the world with certain genetics, family origin, gender, race, ethnicity, and many other factors that will shape their development over the years of their life. Education, enrichment activities and random/unpredictable experiences can all be significant catalysts for their creation or becoming.

The years and experiences of our lives are like the artist creating a masterpiece. Our culture emphasizes avoiding struggle or anything that we deem negative. Of course, it is not possible to live a full life and never experience struggle or negativity. We can be wounded, physically, psychologically, emotionally, and spiritually. Scars develop and those areas can be the most beautiful and meaningful part of the masterpiece that we become. Those challenges can be the catalyst for the texture, depth, tone, and richness in our becoming. Even striving (goals, ambition, transformation, even transcendence) are catalyst that shape our becoming.

Our culture also emphasizes youth so as we age, “anti-aging” pushes us to erase the evidence of those creation experiences. We color our grey hair, buy products and procedures to erase the laugh lines and crows feet making one some sort of homogenous version of themselves. I don’t condemn aesthetic efforts especially when the emphasis is on health and well being. But there is real magic in embracing the evolution of one’s life experience and how that creates each of our unique and special expression of our body, mind, and spirit. Embrace the becoming of a masterpiece and the gift of each year of your life.