THE WRITE LIFE By Maureen McDole Founder and Executive Director of Keep St. Pete Lit Maureen’s weekly podcast The Write Life can be found at:
www.maureenmcdole.com
"Often fear is the same emotion as excitement. It means you are breaking ground." -Anya Hindmarch “I feel terrified all the time; I feel like I am constantly living in fear.” This is what I told a friend recently after experiencing a period of life-changing transitions, which had left me disembodied. She told me that maybe what I was actually feeling was excitement for the new and not fear. They can feel the same. This insight blew my mind. It's a gigantic perspective shift to not fear change, but to appreciate it, because new energy is coming into your life. Thinking this way moves you into a mindset of exploration rather than a mindset of anxiety. Sometimes we can get so caught up on the ending of the old, we miss out on the beginning of the new. I have found since adopting her viewpoint that an immense amount of relief has come over me. I was always on high alert before, because my excitement always felt like fear. If I started something new I often second guessed myself, constant questioning if I was making the right decision. I wasted precious energy that could have been used in more productive ways. Feeling excited is a lot lighter than feeling anxious all the time. Anxiety wears on you and can make you feel worn down and tired, which zaps your creativity and motivation. It can also sidetrack you, bringing you down roads that can lead to dead ends, which you would have known to avoid
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if you trusted yourself and the process. Before I couldn't understand why I kept putting myself in situations that felt so fear based. I wondered why I couldn't just chill and had to constantly push myself out of my comfort zone. I now see that I really enjoy starting a new project or executing a new idea. I feel more alive living this way. Now I have more confidence and see that many of my ideas have worked and if they did fail, I still learned something. I am now practicing the art of starting a project with a sense of excitement. Looking at life this way frees me up to enjoy the process and not rush towards the outcome. I used to think that the end was the only time to celebrate. Now, I can celebrate the whole journey. What a lovely way to live! When you’re a creative person you’re often moving into unknown spaces and charting new territories. There is a profound level of courage that comes with living at the edge of the known. Why not look at all of life this way? If you're moving into or out of a relationship, a job, or going through any other major life transition try to keep a level head (often easier said than done) and trust that life is about evolving and growing, accepting that change is better than remaining still and stagnant. Life can be a work of art living this way.
LITERATURE
A Quixotic Tale 31 year old Celestino Garcia was a proud Spaniard who contracted polio as a child. His ability to become a wellknown thriving barber was not affected by the disease for years. In 1914 his mother was so distraught with the loss of several of her 10 children due to wars and other catastrophes in Spain that she insisted the family migrate to America. At Ellis Island they all were admitted to the US except for Celestino. By that time he was in a wheelchair due to the progression of his polio. He was deemed incompetent to earn a living. As his family tearfully waved goodbye, he decided to go to Cuba. That way he was close enough to visit them later in St.Louis. He immediatedly set up shop as a tailor in Cuba and enjoyed quite the lucrative business. As a young man he was seen proudly riding a chestnut stallion, sporting a white panama hat and a huge handle bar mustache. Instead of brandishing a sword, he weilded a black barber strap. He was quite popular and partied frequently with friends. He caught the eye of a beautiful young teacher named Felicia who walked by his tailor shop daily. She had seen him on his horse and thought him quite dashing. Soon she and her colleague started picking up hand sewing from the tailor to make extra cash. Felicia became enamored with Celestino and the couple courted in the tailor shop. Her parents sat next to the counter, while she sat across from Celestino. It was only until her father granted permission for his daughter’s hand in marriage did Celestino reveal his paralysis and that he was confined to a wheel chair. The couple became engaged in 1916 and wed shortly thereafter. Celestino and Felicia immigrated to
the US through New Orleans. Celestino was now allowed into the U.S. simply because Felicia was deemed a professional. The couple traveled throughout the country having 3 children in 3 different states. They later visited Cuba and had another child there. Obviously parts of his body were working quite well! They returned to the U.S. so Celestino could continue working as a tailor. Sadly Felicia contracted breast cancer. Celestino was devasted! How could he save her? He thought if he could find a community that approximated the culture, flora and fauna of Cuba it would hasten her recovery. He moved his family from Chicago to a thriving Latin mecca called Ybor City in Florida. Felicia soon gave birth to twin girls. By the time the twins were 3 years old, Felicia had passed. Celestino was shocked but he had 6 children to raise. Through the purple and white octogon sidewalks of Ybor City, he proudly navigated his wheelchair as a trusty stead and weilded his barber strap as his whip. His flock of 6 children delightfully followed him as he stopped at different government kiosks which gave out sugar, fruit and milk to families in need. They survived the great depression and he lived to see his 6 children grow up and enjoy his 13 grandchildren. The old rattan wheelchair was retired and he lived bedridden at each of his children’s homes until he passed at a ripe old age. And sometimes during a hazy sunset, I swear I can see an old rickety wheelchair rolling through the clouds with a whitehaired Spaniard cracking his barberstrap! YewHaw! REST IN PEACE ABUELO!
LuLu Agüero Artist/Writer HEAT, COLOR, PASSION, HUMOR Lulu's artistic talents are truly remarkable, transcending language and capturing the essence of life's energy. Born and raised in Ybor CityHer ability to infuse her Latin flair into her works, whether on canvas or in her writing, is a testament to her unique perspective. Her upcoming novel Lore of Ybor - shines a light on her briar patch, including all of its mysteries and twisted truths. Artistpsychic@gmail.com
The Artisan Magazine
