Me on the Map of Life!
I adapted my title from a book I have shared with my own children, and later with my students; Me on the Map. It is a story, that I still refer to today, in those teachable moments. It is about a little girl who starts in her room, in her house, on her street, in her town, in her state, and well I'm sure you can follow the progression.
With the advent of Google Earth it was fun to show the children how you could go from the big picture to the small detail, not quite down to a room in a house, but fairly close. They would laugh when I got silly and showed them my house on my street in our town and would surprisingly say look there's my son or daughter in the window; they must be playing hooky from school! Having said that, many years later there would be plenty of technological advances to help me find that out; a few years too late!
As always I've taken the longer path to the story; easily falling off the beaten path and wandering into other stories that I can find even a tiny thread of connection.
So back to the topic I intended, in your quest to be happy do you find yourself asking, in your place on the map of life:
Do I belong here?
Is my presence here making a difference?
Does anyone listen to me here?
Am I important to someone here?
Am I good at something here?
Do they appreciate me here?
Do I stay here, if so, for how long; or do I move on?
Is there a reason I'm here and not there?
All these questions, or just one or two might pop into your head as you look at where you are right now, in this moment and space in time. How do we find the answers? Do we find someone to confide in and ask them? Do we soul search or reflect on each day? Do we need these answers for happiness and contentment? Do we need the reassurance? Should we be asking these questions or just go along on the journey without question? What exactly are we looking for and why ARE we questioning? Is it a restlessness inside, or uneasiness?
It's not easy to face this questioning or wondering; but in the end, it's you who has to be able to answer them; because YOUR happiness is just that, YOURS. On your terms, in your hands, and in your control! Don't relinquish that to anyone else. Maybe those questions tugging at you is, YOU in the UNIVERSE, being challenged as you navigate where you are and where you think you are supposed to be; but, "supposed to" by whose standards, according to who? That's where the unraveling begins; you need to realize that "supposed to" has to be on your own terms. "Supposed to" has to be according to your heart.
What is the life you want to live? That's where you can start charting your course. That's where you can begin your adventure of "Me on the Map of Life". Search your heart, contemplate the possibilities, take survey of that list of questions about "here" based on where you are now on the map; and imagine yourself where you want to be on the map and then begin to move back in your view, just like the little girl in the story. Her room in her house on her street in her town.... You in your place on the map, in your corner of the world, in this vast universe; where you will make a difference, be listened to, are important to someone, good at something, are appreciated, and belong based on your reasons and your "supposed to" so that you can be happy! There are many in history, and today, who have made huge contributions to our world; not by doing what they were supposed to or what was expected of them; but rather by just doing what made them happy!
Be braver and stronger than yesterday, don't be afraid to imagine that place you want to be and plot your journey there. Will it be easy? Will it happen quickly? Most likely not, in either case. But if you are happy and feel you've landed on your place on the map of life, then it was worth it to question, doubt, be vulnerable, struggle a bit, and even let yourself come a bit unglued or unravel. For it is when we take the big view down to the details through our own eyes, we can best define who we are, or want to be.
Whatever happens, whatever direction you head, I wish you the best journey ever to get to your place on the map; and cheer you on to stay the course until you feel you've arrived!