360 degrees: another birthday wish

“Five hundred, twenty-five thousand, six hundred minutes. How do you measure, measure a year?” ~ Jonathan Larson

Every year, on my birthday (12 November), I stop and reflect. My life rolls by at a frantic pace and I ask myself, “am I living the kind of life that I entered this world for?” This question is difficult to answer honestly.

I have spent my whole life trying to determine the best course of action, and wondering what my purpose for being here is.

I once had the privilege of being in a show written by a talented Jewish-American and one of his lines of lyric remain with me, “how do you measure a year?” There are so many metrics one can choose to gauge success, but Jonathan Larson recommends love as the best metric. I am blessed with so much love in my life, and a deep passion for the performing arts. If I were to measure the past 12 months in love alone, I smile with contentment. But, am I fulfilling my purpose?

People often say that you should pursue what you love and that life is too short to wonder. Since starting my blog in January, I have spent a good part of this year investing in the dormant creative soul inside me. Some days, I have suppressed my creativity because other responsibilities took priority, however, I know I am truly happy when I am creating.

Therefore, for the next 12 months I am taking a giant leap of faith. I have chosen to make my creative heart a priority. I shall practise my instruments more, write avidly and maybe even release an ebook, finish writing and recording an album, and return to the stage.

In order to do this well, a degree of sacrifice is required. I have decided to take a year’s leave from my full-time job as a music teacher and I am committing wholeheartedly to this new chapter of my story, my sabbatical.

I aim to make it brilliant and I shall take you, my readers, along for the ride. I don’t expect that the bohemian lifestyle will be easy, but easy was never attractive to me.

Hopefully, when my next birthday rolls around I will have created more original work and grown as an arts practitioner. I only ever want to continue teaching music and performance if I am practicing it.

So why am I telling you all this? I publish this because if it’s on record, then I am accountable. I own my actions and choices and if I fail or succeed in this, I take responsibility.

Tomorrow isn’t promised and I know I’m asking a lot of myself but “ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you” (Matthew 7:7). I will work hard to make my birthday wish come true. Since it is a birthday wish, it’s a secret and I will let you know if, or when, it does come true.

I am going to press the pause button on my traditional work life and visit Lewis Carroll’s Wonderland to see how far this rabbit hole goes. I have only a few teaching weeks remaining then I shall cross the creative threshold with undivided attention. Wish me luck…

“No day, but today” ~ Jonathan Larson

Update 12/11/2018 – this birthday wish did come true. I returned to the stage and toured with the Australian premiere of Disenchanted! a hilarious hit musical. Search Disenchanted! on my blog to learn more.