IN A WORLD THAT CONSTANTLY PUSHES US TO STRIVE FOR MORE, TO ACHIEVE BIGGER AND BETTER THINGS, WE OFTEN FIND OURSELVES TRAPPED IN A RELENTLESS CYCLE OF BUSYNESS AND EXHAUSTION. FROM AN EARLY AGE, I KNEW EXACTLY WHAT I WANTED TO DO AND WHO I WANTED TO BECOME. THERE WAS AN INNER DRIVE WITHIN ME, A NEED TO PROVE MY WORTH. I BELIEVED I COULD DO IT ALL ON MY OWN, WITHOUT RELYING ON ANYONE ELSE.
BUT ONE DAY, I WOKE UP FEELING DRAINED, DEVOID OF ENERGY AND APPETITE, AND WITH A GROWING INDIFFERENCE TOWARD EVERYTHING AROUND ME. AS A SINGLE PARENT, I HAD BEEN TIRELESSLY BUILDING MY CAREER WHILE SIMULTANEOUSLY RAISING MY CHILDREN. I WAS CONSTANTLY STRIVING TO ENSURE THEIR COMFORT AND WELL-BEING, BUT SUDDENLY, EVERYTHING CHANGED. PRICES SKYROCKETED, RENT BECAME UNAFFORDABLE, AND THE EXPENSES OF AFTER-SCHOOL ACTIVITIES, FOOD, AND GAS SEEMED INSURMOUNTABLE. SUMMER ARRIVED TOO QUICKLY, CATCHING ME OFF GUARD FINANCIALLY. IT WAS A TERRIFYING TIME BECAUSE THERE WAS NO SCHOOL, AND THE COST OF SUMMER CAMPS SOARED.
I FOUND MYSELF IN A SITUATION WHERE I COULDN'T PAY MY RENT, AFFORD SUMMER CAMPS FOR MY KIDS, OR HAVE EQUAL RELATIONSHIPS WITH MY PARTNER. HOWEVER, AMIDST THE CHALLENGES, MY CLOSE FRIENDS RALLIED AROUND ME, OFFERING THEIR SUPPORT AND WORKING WITH ME TIRELESSLY AND PASSIONATELY. THE PAIN I FELT FOR NOT BEING ABLE TO COMPENSATE THEM FOR THEIR EFFORTS WAS IMMEASURABLE. DESPITE WORKING TIRELESSLY EVERY DAY, AND BARELY TAKING ANY TIME OFF, I STRUGGLED TO PROVIDE FOR MY FAMILY'S BASIC NEEDS.
REALIZING THE TOLL THIS FRANTIC PACE WAS TAKING ON ME, I CAME TO A STARTLING REVELATION. I WAS SPENDING COUNTLESS HOURS STUCK IN TRAFFIC, JUGGLING AN OVERWHELMING NUMBER OF TASKS IN MY MIND, WITH NO TIME TO PAUSE AND SIMPLY BE PRESENT. I YEARNED TO CHERISH THE GENTLE SUMMER BREEZE OR WITNESS A BREATHTAKING SUNRISE, BUT EXHAUSTION KEPT ME FROM EVEN WAKING UP. IT WAS AT THIS MOMENT THAT I FINALLY ASKED MYSELF, "WHEN IS ENOUGH TRULY ENOUGH?"
WHEN DOES YOUR HOUSE BECOME BIG ENOUGH? WHEN DO YOU HAVE ENOUGH CLOTHES TO WEAR? WHEN DO YOU HAVE ENOUGH MONEY IN YOUR BANK ACCOUNT? WHEN IS IT ENOUGH MONEY IN YOUR POCKET? WHEN ARE THE WEEKENDS ENOUGH? WHEN IS IT ENOUGH TIME? WHEN IS IT ENOUGH?
THE MORE MONEY WE ACCUMULATE, THE MORE STRESS WE FEEL TO SUSTAIN AND GROW IT. THE MORE FEAR WE HAVE OF LOSING IT ALL. BUT DO WE TRULY NEED SO MUCH? DO WE GENUINELY REQUIRE A GRANDIOSE HOUSE, AN OVERFLOWING WARDROBE, AND AN EXCESS OF MATERIAL POSSESSIONS?
I'VE ALWAYS HAD A DEEP LOVE FOR NATURE, YET I HAVEN'T BEEN SPENDING ENOUGH TIME IMMERSED IN ITS EMBRACE. I'VE BEEN CAUGHT UP IN AN INCESSANT RACE WITH MYSELF, WITH MONEY AS MY DRIVING FORCE. OUR SURROUNDINGS BOMBARD US WITH ENDLESS STIMULATION, LEAVING US WONDERING ABOUT OUR TRUE PURPOSE. AS AN ARTIST, I KNOW THAT MY CALLING LIES IN CREATION AND HELPING OTHERS HEAL. I NO LONGER SEE MYSELF FITTING INTO THE CHAOS OF A BUSTLING CITY. INSTEAD, I YEARN FOR A HUMBLE ABODE NESTLED IN THE SERENITY OF THE JUNGLE, SURROUNDED BY ONLY THE ESSENTIALS. I WANT TO CREATE AND BE PRESENT WITHOUT BEING CONSUMED BY SOCIETAL EXPECTATIONS.
I LONG TO BE A HUMAN WHO WAKES UP TO THE SOUND OF ROOSTERS, WITHOUT RUSHING OR FEELING OVERWHELMED. I WANT TO STEP OUTSIDE AND FEEL THE MORNING BREEZE, THE GENTLE TOUCH OF THE RISING SUN ON MY SKIN, AND THE MELODIOUS SYMPHONY OF BIRDS SINGING IN HARMONY. I AM NOT A BUSINESS PERSON; I AM AN ARTIST, A SEEKER OF PEACE AND LOVE WITHIN MY HEART. I DON'T NEED THE MOST EXPENSIVE HOUSE OR CAR; ALL I NEED IS TO BE FULLY PRESENT AND EMBRACE EVERY MOMENT LIFE OFFERS.
I AM READY TO LEAVE BEHIND THE FACADE OF A BIG CITY FILLED WITH FLEETING HAPPINESS AND EMBARK ON A JOURNEY TO REDISCOVER MYSELF IN THE SIMPLICITY OF THE PRESENT MOMENT.
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