Everyday Gems
Celebrating the everyday gems of life, from nature, to art, to creating our best lives…
I can see clearly now
The mystical collage of life ...
If we all created a collage - made up of the things we love, what inspires us, what brings us joy, what moves us, what we dream of - would we have the key to our life? You might be surprised.
Life collage - Wendy Smith, 2010
I created this collage many years back. I had been cutting pictures, phrases and words out of magazines for about a year or so. I found it to be a creative and satisfying thing to do. I would put them up on my bulletin board over my writing desk as inspiration and as a reminder of what made me tick, why I was here, what I wanted my life to be about.
“Sometimes there would be steamy lovers tangoing or portraits of jewel encrusted ladies from the Renaissance.”
I would change the quotes, words and images as a new desire came in or a new writing subject would take over. Sometimes there would be steamy lovers tangoing or portraits of jewel encrusted ladies from the Renaissance. Depending on what was going on in my life and more importantly, what was needed to inspire me and remind me of my journey - there could be anything from a fabulous beach in Tahiti to a simple word like trust.
This collage, is one I put together one afternoon when I wanted to create a storyboard for what I was feeling in that moment. I had never made an intentional collage before. I was living on a small island just off the Pacific Northwest coast at the time and had recently found a bright blue, painted wood board on the beach. It had been roaming the seas for a while but was still vibrantly blue and alive. I took it home, knowing I would use it for something creative. I laid it down on the floor that afternoon, got out my folders of images and words and set to work composing my feelings, passions and desires. It felt good putting all those pieces together and seeing the story that it told - of me.
“An upheaval really, of all that I knew my life to be.”
I had been going through a tough time, having just made major changes in my life the year before. An upheaval really, of all that I knew my life to be. Difficult choices were made, then a five-month journey through Europe - following my passion, and later, moving across the country to be near my family again and embarking on a dream to write a book. So many changes, so many emotions and things not turning out how I had envisioned. I needed to create that collage that day to send a message to myself and the universe of what I needed and who I was.
It all started with this quote…
“Not all who wander are lost”
I felt those words deeply in me and wanted to reassure myself and the world that I was on a life changing journey and may not find my physical home for a while. Then there was the hand with the heart which represented self-love to me and how I needed to love myself through this challenging time. Not always an easy thing to do. I also put images and words of what I love doing in this world - travel, treasure hunting, creating, relaxing, meditating, laughing with family & friends and drinking champagne!
I felt excitement and was full of joy after completing that collage. I photographed it and later that season sent it as a holiday email to all I loved. It was not a permanent collage, just something I put together one afternoon and dismantled almost immediately. Like the magic and impermanence of life.
I still have my bulletin board full of inspiring images, words and quotes, and love creating collages, regularly. I am thankful for that day and that urge to create a storyboard of who I was in that moment. It literally served as a lifeline for me and reminded me to stay true to myself and to what brings me joy.
Funnily enough, all these years later, I am living again on that same small island, where I originally created my first collage. Full circle moment and gratitude for the incredible journey I’ve been on since that day. I look back on my life so far and see a very rich collage indeed - one that keeps expanding into the next adventure and the next adventure…
And perhaps, now more than ever, I appreciate and fully understand these words…
“Life is a journey not a destination”
-Wendy (aka: gemsatourguide)
-All images are my own