I’m hardly anywhere to leave any kind of ‘legacy’ behind. But if I had to say goodbye right here, right now, I don’t think it’d be so bad. I’m not exactly dissatisfied with the kind of response that my art is getting right now and all I can say is ‘About damn time!’ because, in a world where everything is either already done or not recognized well enough, I’d say I’m doing quite well for myself. But the whole point of this journey to self-discovery is to realize what I really want from life.
Yesterday, a very dear friend of mine told me how my post on journaling and its positive effects helped her turn her life around (her words, not mine; I’m only paraphrasing.) That made me think about how something as simple as a blog post or an Instagram highlight can influence people’s lives. And honestly, that is what I wanted to do when I first started blogging here.
All I’ve ever wanted to be is a voice that can get through to people who are sick of having unsolicited opinions thrown at them without any kind of second thought. I didn’t name my website; my best friends picked the name for me. But it felt right. Writing here was supposed to be an extension of my journals, but soon I realized that if I could break away from the rules, be a little informal and minimal, I could reach more of you.
And so far, it has worked out beautifully. It warms my heart when people tell me that reading something I have written has helped them. I don’t mean to brag here, but I am truly amazed by the kind of power words can have over people. To the outside world, I’m probably just another shady person sitting behind a computer screen, writing things that may or may not make sense. But to me, a single comment or share from your side means the whole world because it tells me that I can actually make some kind of impact.
If today were to be my last day in this world, I would be very proud of where I stand with this website. It took me some time— probably more than it should have, but everyone grows at their own pace and forcing it doesn’t really do anybody any good. So if I had to say goodbye today (I most certainly am not!), I’d have no regrets about it because I know that I have gained some very loyal readers here, whether I know them or not.
I grew up reading poetry that kept talking about how words are permanent, about how art is permanent and how they can stand the test time. Their influence on me is as clear as day because somewhere, deep inside me, a little girl promised herself that this is how she would like to leave a mark on the world: with her art. We’re not truly immortal and art isn’t either. But art is passed down via generations and all over the world, too! I think that’s beautiful.
And if I really had to dream something larger-than-life for myself, that is where I’d want to be: remembered for my art, but also for what my art represented. Everything I do, every piece of art that I create is done so out of love. Love and compassion drive me to create art that can, in its own little way, put a little bit more of love in this world. We all run around like chickens with their heads cut off, looking for love in places where there’s no hope and we forget the one place where it really is: within ourselves.
So, if I want to be remembered in any way at all, this is the kind of thought I’d leave behind. Love. Compassion. Art. Beauty. Positivity. Hope.
Makes you think what you’d leave behind, doesn’t it?
Cheerio! Xx
Hey guys! I hope you liked this post. Let me know in the comments below or share with someone you might wanna show this to! You can also reach out to me and say ‘Hi’ on Twitter and Instagram. I’ll look forward to hearing from you.
Yours truly,
The Shubhster.
Photo by Greg Rakozy on Unsplash
The Shubhster Diaries 