Life

“But now old friends are acting strange,
they shake their heads, they say I've changed. 
Well something’s lost but something’s gained in living every day”
Joni Mitchell

I love life in some small way every day because I experience at least one good thing that I didn’t the day before.  Every year we look back and reflect on the things we want to repeat, and the things that we hope never happen again.  We say sad goodbyes to loved ones, while we welcome new friendships.  We change careers.  We change geographic locations.  Any and all of these things can happen in what seems like the blink of an eye when you are the one whose life is directly affected. Some changes leave us emotionally barren, while others overwhelm us with feelings of ecstasy that can’t be contained.  But no matter what we do, no matter how hard we try to control it, life will happen and we may as well accept it on its terms.

Some that will read this blog have known me most of my life and have seen the many changes that have taken place to bring me where I am today.  There have been sad times, exciting times and the mediocre in between times.  I am richer for them all. 

Today I got an e-mail from an old acquaintance that said, “Amy, you were so much fun to be with back then but...I’ve noticed that you have changed…you seem more liberal or something.  What has happened to you?”  The author of this letter went on to talk about the spiritual condition of my soul based on observations of my interactions with others. 

For many years I lived my life trying to be the person that people thought I should be.  Like many others, I was an illusionist.  I lived a scripted life until one day I closed the curtain and stopped giving out tickets to the show. I needed to change.  I needed to be true to myself. Can anyone really "know life"?

“I've looked at life from both sides now. 
From up and down and still somehow 
it's life's illusions I recall.  
I really don't know life, at all” 
Joni Mitchell


Thanks for reading,

Amy Lynn Michael

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