what kalman’s book and paintings don’t illustrate is what comes after the heavy-lifting — the dropping, the putting down and the leaving behind. surely we aren’t meant to “hold” food, work, heavy loads and grudges (etc.) forever. right?
are you getting that urge to make a change?
it’s one of the themes of the season, close on the heels of peace, love and joy, the gnawing urge to let go of the stuff that begs us to make change and want to resolve to do better in the new year. even if you are viciously skeptical of the point and purpose of resolutions — after all,
jan. 17 isn’t known
as
“ditch new year’s resolutions day” for nothing —
it becomes harder to ignore the nagging sensation that if ever there was a time to ditch that monstrous cabbage on your back, this is it, the eve of the new year — the moment to commit to cutting it loose and starting anew. (by the way, did you know that while
cabbage
is nutritious, it is a gas-producing vegetable that can cause
bloating, abdominal pain, and diarrhea in some people. it’s also
prone to
bugs, like moth larvae, aphids, worms and parasitic wasps,
and bacterial and fungal diseases.)
perhaps your “cabbage” is rolled up in one of the
top three most common resolutions
that people promise to rid themselves of : unhealthy weight, needless spending and mental health self-sabotage (for example, endless scrolling on social media). or maybe it’s a cruciferous challenge that’s unique to you — the unabating, longing daydreams of owning a motorcycle, the constant ruminating over why you let those toxic personalities that make you feel so bad make you feel so bad, hating the fact that you sometimes let fear make your decisions or wishing you could just let go and love like you can never lose. whatever it is you are carrying, if it’s not bringing you joy, and if you can do something about it — even it’s hard and awkward and nausea-inducing — drop it like it’s hot. in other words, buy that motorcycle, ditch the toxic peeps, decide to make decisions that make you happy, even if they scare you, and yes, love like it’s your last day on this earth.