The Scream

Yes, you are right. There is a reference here to the famous painting by Munch. I saw it today taking real shape, if you wish.

A big German shepherd is always guarding the entrance to a company, right across the building of my apartment. I know it by sight for more than 2 years, and I knew that besides being fierce, this dog is also agile and frightful. And this is how the impression remained in my head.

Until tonight, when I saw it having trouble, while sitting on its front paws, turning on the other side. It was bouncing, slowly, as his back paws remained rigid.

And thus the scream. We are getting older. Every one of us. I do not know the order of things, but I reckon that each one of us will become less agile, less frightful, and less fierce. With no exception!

People, ignore your worries related to today or yesterday! Let them where they found you and don’t carry them around on your shoulders everywhere you go. Focus on the things important to your souls.

It’s hard. I know it’s hard. Our jobs have a real hold on us because besides helping us to pay the bills, they give us a great feeling of being important, of being able to develop and acquire new abilities, having mutual goals with other people just as motivated, being able to constantly learn something new about us and the domain we are interested in, feeling useful and experiencing the great feeling that the fruit of our work is cherished by others. But regardless of how passionate we are about our work, remember that life is not only made from it. Make sure to responsibly and carefully fulfill your duties, but do not forget to live your lives!

The people you love or the four-footed members of your families, they are the ones performing the job of raising your spirits when you had an awful day at work or you cannot find meaning in anything. Which reminds me of a great saying regarding work-family balance – Do you bring the best of yourself to work and the leftovers home? 

And there is no trace of pessimism – or at least not intended – in my words. It’s just the meaning of things; here’s how it goes in physics – nothing is lost, everything is transformed. Don’t be sad! Look inside yourselves, besides yourselves and do not postpone.

That singing course you keep thinking about, but keep postponing it? Call today and make an appointment. You want to learn how to swim and conquer your fear of water? You want more time for yourself, but you don't take it for fear of being told you are selfish? Today is the day when you can do whatever you have been postponing. Not tomorrow, not the day after tomorrow, or in two months when you ‘will have the time’. We do not have the time, time is having us.

A scream only interrupts the silence for a moment, and then its effect disappears. You are right. One needs something in order to make this feeling of awareness last longer. Transform an object into the guardian of your decision. It can be a small plush toy that you can place onto your office, a flower in a pot, a photograph, a postcard, a mug. You decide. Whatever the object, it will be close to you and act as a constant reminder that you wish for something, that you try, and maybe sometimes you succeed, and if not than you keep insisting and that makes it worth your while.

What is my charm? 

A bracelet on my right hand with a pendant that represents the tree of life. I am pretty much aware of my roots (my professional and personal responsibilities) and the fruit of my actions can be seen in the branches that keep developing upwards from the thick trunk. 

But the leaves… well, the leaves that gently move to the wind are my dreams, my wishes and my aspirations. Some become yellow (they reach maturity) and fall at the root of the tree, their existence is short and with no great success. 

Other, still, let themselves be carried away by the blowing of the wind and go further, reaching their meaning sometimes in a more beautiful way than I had ever expected. And, from time to time, the buds of new leaves appear and embellish my dreams.