DAY 016 – DESIGNING DANGEROUSLY

Establish your narrative

I’m learning to be more unapologetically myself. One would think that by almost-thirty-five I would have this mastered, but apparently I’m a slow learner. I REFUSE TO APOLOGIZE FOR BEING A SLOW LEARNER HOWEVER. I’m doing great with this unapologizing thing.

I imagine our narrative being one of reconciliation. We’re born into this world all unbridled need, base requirements and demands. Somewhere during childhood we first identify a lacking within us (bless you if you didn’t come to this until adolescence), and this becomes a theme for many of us, potentially THE theme. The remainder of our time is all about trying to reconcile these two relationships, our relationship with the world at large and our relationship with ourselves. They’re complementary problems with no easy fixes. It proves to be a lifetime of work for many of us until we’re ultimately reconciled with earth.

So what is my narrative? How am I reconciling all the roles I wear: son, brother, husband, father, educator, designer, employee, friend, collaborator, mentor, debtor, artist, writer, stranger--how do I reconcile these identities within me? How do I reconcile these identities with others and the world at large? Likely it takes the form of the stories I tell to myself and others about myself. The more truthful they are, the less apologetic, the closer we come to knowing ourselves and being known by others.