The New Chapter

The Journey
Mary Oliver

One day you finally knew
what you had to do, and began,
 though the voices around you
kept shouting their bad advice --
though the whole house
began to tremble
and you felt that old tug
at your ankles.
"Mend My Life!"
each voice cried.
But you didn't stop.
You knew what you had to do,
though the wind pried
with its stiff fingers
at the very foundations --
their melancholy
was terrible.
It was already late enough, and a wild night,
and the road full of fallen
branches and stones.
But little by little,
as you left their voices behind,
the stars began to burn through the sheets of clouds,
and there was a new voice,
which you slowly recognized as your own,
that kept you company
as you strode deeper and deeper
into the world,
determined to do
the only thing that you could do --
determined to save
the only life you could save.

(Trans. Array Dream Works. 1986. Print.)



I love a good adventure and I love change, change is  hardly ever easy, however, we all come to a point in life where change is inevitable.  I love to start with a fresh empty page and watch as new and beautiful things start to fill it.  I chose Mary Oliver's poem 'The Journey' to be the start of my introduction, not only because it's one of my favorites, but also because I love how she puts such a level of importance on change and starting something new for yourself, leaving all things behind and moving on to finding your own voice, or taking action to make a voice for yourself.  In the beginning of her poem she wrote,  "One day you finally knew what you had to do, and began, though the voices around you kept shouting their bad advice" which I think is an important idea to think about, how often do we put what others say about our lives on the front burner and put our own voice and opinions on the back? How often to do we just ignore all the good advice (and God's advice) and put silly superficial things on the front burner? We can't let other people dominate or run our lives based on what they think is "best for us" in the end we have to make the best decision for ourselves and our lives. I am not saying that we should ignore what everyone says completely, because some things that people say are very important, sometimes other people can give us great advice and wisdom, but in the midst of that we can forget that we have a voice and opinion. Further more, what is most important is where God is leading you and what he says is best for your life. I feel as though it is almost a declaration of starting fresh and new, and creating something that is your own, which we all know is so important.  So with that,  welcome to 'An Empty Wall' where I am starting a new journey of my own, into adulthood.  I chose my title because like an empty page, an empty wall is waiting to be filled with color, beauty, and design. I am also moving into a new place and creating a small space for myself; and believe me there were/are a lot of empty walls in my new space that need.....color. So I thought the title was only appropriate.