A few days ago, while walking in a park, I heard the sound of a wind instrument that seemed to come from among some trees. I still thought it was the wind that brought the sound of some music school nearby (it was a stretch repeated over and over again). As I climbed the hill I noticed that, camouflaged among the trees, there was a man with a trumpet, practicing a set of notes of a melody.
Leaving him to his practice, I reflected on the possible reasons for him to be there in the middle of the park: Does nature inspire you? Are you afraid of the reaction of the neighbors? Prefer to be alone? Do you like to share the sound with passers-by? Want exposure? Or is it just an experiment?
I admit that if it were me, the option would be not to want to share the "music" with the neighbors (projection of the judgment of others).
Transporting this question to other forms of expression, heard, seen or touched, be it the fear of judgment or the incapacity that limits and restricts what and how something is done.
In addition to individual creativity, the way a person expresses himself shows anyone who wants to see another part of his personality.
For reasons of social comfort and acceptance, it is more frequent that certain expressions are made in groups or places, where people think and act in the same way. Here we can include expressions of art, ideology, gender issues, etc.
But what is right or wrong? Are there limits to what we "should" accept? In an era of free speech, should there be room for bigotry or even war?
Returning to living with our man with the trumpet, the important thing in this reflection is to find options that do not impede expression (but without including extremisms):
- if you want to play saxophone and don't want to disturb neighbors, move to a more secluded area (e.g. into a closet), or go to a garden; if you think you don't know how to play, learn and practice;
- if you knit and feel embarrassed, join a club and practice; find a group and challenge those who live around you;
- if you don't like how at work they don't let you do things your way, change jobs or take up a hobby so you don't think so much about work;
- if you like to draw and think there's no way out, practice at home and start looking further and further;
- if you like to eat but your dishes don't turn out well, try new combinations (as long as you don't poison anyone);
- if you want to exercise but your body has limitations, ask a doctor or Bowen therapist for help, for example.
And above all, find the best way to practice what you love to do. You'll think a lot less and do a lot more :)
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