Free at Last, Free at Last

Yesterday, I let go. And it feels good!

For the last couple of months, I have committed a great deal of precious time and substantial resources on what has now turned out to be a wild goose chase. In essence, I did find out only yesterday that the juice was no longer worth the squeeze in this particular situation. And hasn't been for many days, only that I wasn't aware.

At a time when I remain quite unwilling to countenance the shenanigans of a busy-body, I did the difficult, yet worthwhile thing - to quit while still ahead.
Interestingly, my new-found freedom obviates the need to get involved in some half-hearted commitments in the name of fulfilling societal expectations.

Letting Go, Cleaning the House and Moving On

That done, I must confess I took one long look back at what was, and immediately embarked on what is, inspired by the following words from Paulo Coelho's The Zahir:

...there are always some stories that are 'interrupted,' and they are the stories that remain nearest to the surface and so still occupy the present; only when we close that story or chapter can we begin the next one...

That is why it is so important to let certain things go. To release them. To cut loose.People need to understand that no one is playing with marked cards; sometimes we win and sometimes we lose.

Don't expect to get anything back, don't expect recognition for your efforts, don't expect your genius to be discovered or your love to be understood. Complete the circle. Not out of pride, inability, or arrogance, but simply because whatever it is no longer fits in your life.

Close the door, change the record, clean the house, get rid of the dust. Stop being who you were and become who you are.

Admittedly, the feeling one gets is akin to what Andy Dufresne felt when he left Shawshank..

Freedom Songs 

From the song Free by 1NC,  I too, am now free to lift my hands, smile again, live and not die.. and much more.



And here's yet another song about freedom by George Michael.. go figure.



Free at last, free at last. Thank God Almighty I'm free at last!

Changing Lives through Spoken and Written Words

In the past few weeks, I've been thinking about the role words play in shaping lives as I work on Complitly Connect Magazine's enduring comeback.

From October 1, 2014, Complitly Connect Magazine (CCM) returns with writing that has meaning, makes a difference and adds value.

CCM aside, I also happened to watch The Harvesters last week, starring Diane Luby as Rachel Pierce, an affable widow.
Looking at her page on IMDb and official bio, I realize that Diane is also a writer, and the founder and Executive Director of Get Lit, a non-profit organization whose stated objective is to increase teen literacy through classic and spoken word poetry.

In January 2014, Diane gave a TEDx Talk in Pacific Palisades titled Claim Your Poem: Claim Your Life.



Diane's 'Get Lit' is a most noble initiative. It reminds me of Hilary Swank in the movie Freedom Writers, where she and her 150 teenage students used writing to change themselves and the world.



Many years ago, Lord Byron described words this way:

But words are things, and a small drop of ink, 
Falling like dew, upon a thought, produces 
That which makes thousands, perhaps millions, think.

Looking back, the written word has changed my life in no small measure. I decided I wanted to be a writer at age nine, when I read my father's copy of 'The River Between' by Ngugi wa Thiong'o. A year later, I read 'Things Fall Apart' by Chinua Achebe which was my sister's High School literature set book Another sister brought Elechi Amadi's 'The Concubine' home, which I gladly gobbled up. I fondly recall reading Emile Zola's 'Germinal' and Barbara Taylor Bradford's 'A Woman of Substance'. Even the humongous 'The Ring'  by Danielle Steel was a very welcome read.

In addition to literary fiction, reading non-fiction to satiate an ever growing thirst for general knowledge has along the years provided valuable insights in life. In-depth writing at Longform, Longreads, Brain Pickings, The Edge and other sites where ideas are exchanged have made me a much better person overall.

It is on this premise that the CCM team and I have renewed our passion, redirected our resources and channeled our focus on sharing valuable information as well as adding value to information.
We purpose to foster positive change through writing that helps you learn a thing or two, articles that make you pause and reflect, copy that enlightens as well as entertains.

Join us at the Complitly Connect Magazine (CCM) site for our Monday and Wednesday blog posts, the podcast of the week every Friday and The Weekend Connection every Saturday.
And every first day of the month from October 1, 2014, the monthly edition of Complitly Connect Magazine.

At CCM, you'll read, learn and share original, useful, timely and valuable content that will help you connect with what matters to you. Complitly.

Wanting what You already Have

August is almost over. For some people, end-month is yet another chance to look back at the four weeks past and review one's life. Having taken inventory, any life changes - improvements, cutting back, discipline, frugality, investments - can then be effected.

Only last week, I listened to a breakfast talk show on Nation FM and the topic was depression, and the attendant mental anguish, suicide and self esteem issues. One of the expert guests detailed how a person gets frustrated thanks to comparing one's circumstances with those of peers, neighbors, friends and others of similar social standing.

Upon realizing that one may be wanting in a thing or two, mostly in material possessions, feelings of inadequacy erode one's self esteem, frustrations impair one's focus on what truly matters and misplaced priorities blind one to his or her special place in life.

If we take an honest look at life, much of what we've got often goes unnoticed as we engage in a mindless quest to attain more and more needless stuff. Many of us obsess with what we do not have, get stressed that others have more and better than we do, and at times despise them for that.

Taking time to appreciate what one already have, and to be content with what one is.. this is the first step to being a person of value. Granted, allowing others to define one's purpose in life will only lead to succumbing to a warped understanding of what 'making it' and success is all about.

In sum, take time to appreciate both yourself and others. Realize that we are united by our differences. As such, others need you and you need them and for this reason, we cannot all be the same. It is the presence of short people that makes some people tall.
Be content, even as you seek amelioration. Avoid the all-too-alluring greed for material things. Take time to want you already have.

Finally, Sheryl Crow in Soak Up the Sun reminds us to lighten up, there's often no one to blame even when we feel lame.


Have a pleasant end-month weekend, and may September start on a high note for you!