Inward Significance

In a previous blog entry, I mused that living is an art not a science. Today I was inspired by this quote from Aristotle:

" The aim of art is to represent not the outward appearance of things, but their inward significance."

I was very convicted at how so often in my life I am more concerned with the outward appearance of things rather than their inward significance. I can be more concerned with how people think I'm doing financially than how concerned I am with whether my finances are in actually in order. Or I can be more concerned with looking fit than being healthy.  Or more concerned with looking like a good parent than being a good parent. It's stressful trying to dress ourselves up to project a false image, and frankly it's MORE work than developing the character and discipline that make it a true image. 

We only get this life, this moment, this body, these circumstances. We can look over at anothers color palate with envy and get frustrated at what we don't have or we can take what we have and create something beautiful with it. There are so many stories of successful people rising from almost nothing and we love that inspiration but we gloss over the fact that often we have more than what those people started with in the first place. You have everything you need to write an amazing story with your life but you have to do the work! It's scary looking at our inward significance. A vast untapped potential that might lead you to greatness or be squandered and lost. It can be like stepping on a scale when you know you've gained a lot of weight or staring at a pile of unopened bills that you don't have the money to pay. We know we fall short and it's hard to look at but we can't grow if we aren't willing to face it.  Instead we cover the outside with paint and and hope we are fooling the world. Even if we are, we are robbing ourselves of our highest potential, while we live in fear that our fraudulence will be discovered. Be brave! Be willing to be an artist with your life.  Pick up the tools you have been given and the skills you have developed and use them, continue to learn and grow. Take joy in who you are and dream big. You are significant!