Remember what it was like when as a child you got a new toy? You wanted to play with it non-stop, imagining incredible things and whiling away the hours using your pretend ideas to have fun and feel joy. I did that same thing with my Spirograph tools. I had fun making flowers and circles, figuring out which wheel made what shape, then coloring them in to add more life. Once I had filled the page I then had to find a quote to pair with all that fun.
This German proverb helps me remember that where there is talent, skill, energy and vitality it will not go unnoticed for very long. There is great value in doing and being your true self, the real you, the person you wanted to be when you grew up. When we are honest with ourselves and stop trying to be what we think everyone wants, or the boss tells us we need to be, or our parents, friends, neighbors, or even that soft voice in our heads. When we shine by doing what we are good at, doing the things that help our skills shine, eventually by doing all that better and better than others we are that fair flower. We are the flower people pull off the road to photograph. We are the colleague people call to ask for help and opinions. And we are that person people know will be honest with them because we have first been honest with ourselves.
Excellence shines, it brings people hope and activity. When we live in excellence, when we let our own light shine, our flower bloom, we give others encouragement and permission to do the same. We lead the way simply by being the best version of ourselves every day. When we let our own beauty shine it helps others understand that their beauty has value as well. Savor those moments when you know you are that fair flower AND you know that your excellence has lit a fire of excellence in others.
Ann Art Gallery Blog 