No, I did not leap off the vaporetto and tumble into the aqua depths of the Bacino (a strange, almost erotic, recurring fantasy I have shared with a few of you).
Instead I thought of Eleanor Roosevelt’s wise advice: “Do something that scares you every day.” (Such a smart dame!) So I did. Armed with nothing but nerve, I visited some small galleries and I asked what steps I must take to present my work for their consideration. Simple. But scary.
Guess what… No one threw me out. No one laughed, no one looked suspicious, no one sneered. I was taken quite seriously. And I gathered some useful information that will help me prepare for the next step on this terrifying journey.
Looking at my materials and works-in-progress here on my dining table, I already know I am a little closer to my goal. I believe it will be easier to walk through those or any other gallery doors next time.
The moral of my Leap Day story is this: whatever it is your soul needs to do but you keep putting off until next week (next month, next year…), whether out of fear, or shortage of entitlement or resources, or plain old lack of time, do it now. Just do it. Do it without the money you think you must save first. Do it even if you don’t have everything ready and in place. Do it clumsily if that’s the best you can manage. Do it secretly if you must. But do it now.
I’m sure my friend Alan would say the same. So would Eleanor.
Do it. Leap!
(I thank you for all you did for me, Neighbor #1, including this. It was great fun being Neighbor #2. Rest in peace.)
