Moonshine

August 16, 2016

moonshine

noun: informal

foolish talk or ideas.

“whatever I said, it was moonshine”

At some point you realize that there are more flavors of pain than coffee. The little empty pain of leaving something behind – graduating, taking the next step forward, walking out of something familiar into the unknown. There’s the big whirling pain of life upending all of your plans and expectations. There are the sharp little pains of failure, and the more obscure pains of successes that didn’t give you the kind of triumph that you thought they would. There are the viscous, stabbing pains of hope and dreams being torn up. The bitter sweet pain of doing the right thing, knowing that you tried your best and stayed true to who you are irrespective of what the results might be. The sweet and confusing pains of finding others like you, giving them your love, watching them grow and taking joy in their happiness and sorrows. There’s the steady pain of understanding and empathy, as you shrug off your feelings and stand beside a wounded friend and help them bear their burdens. There’s also that deep gut wrenching pain of not knowing what to do, feeling helpless, and knowing that sometimes there really is nothing to do except to let time take its course.

But if you are very, very lucky, there are a few blazing hot little pains you feel when you realize that you are standing in a moment of utter perfection, an instant of triumph, or happiness or mirth which at the same time cannot possibly last – and yet will remain with you for the rest of your life*

You cannot structure your life in a way that can help you avoid pain. As intense as it can be, it defines who we become as individuals. It defines our morals and feeds our actions. Being bold and true to yourself comes out of pain, your creative genius is on the other side of your vulnerability. It etches a story into you, something that is unique only to you. Do you fall apart? Or do you heal yourself and gain perspective? Behind every strong and independent person, there are days when they were alone and helpless. There are lessons learnt from life and there are stories of battles and struggles fought alone. Beneath the shield of confidence and strength there is a plethora of sadness and pain that has been endured. But at the end of the day you remember the moments where you felt good, where you felt scared yet, you felt alive. Run your fingers through memories of love and truth that you’ve stored inside. That is part of the way to feeling whole again.

So step up, dress up and present your best bold self to the world, because there is magic and so much more waiting for you, just beyond the pain.

Skirt: DIY | Top: Vero Moda | Necklace: DIY | Earrings: oasap.com | Shoes: Steve Madden