Stallion Abounds

After the office, I sat in Dryer’s chair for another new addition.  Instead of going to his Mt. Lookout location, I ventured to the home shop in Latonia, KY.  What a different experience!  In Mt. Lookout, Dryer and I have the run of the shop.  There might be one to two other people there at any given time, but it’s usually just us.  We’re able to listen to whatever, have conversations that range from mundane to esoteric, and discuss life.  It's something that I've come to expect from my ink appointments.  

However, this afternoon’s experience was full of folks!  It was a decided progression from the usual ink appointment, and while Dryer’s needle pricked my skin, I found myself reflecting on progress, and the ways in which what we expect from life changes depending on the situation.  What I mean is that, the typical ink appointment usually starts with a question about music, and then Dryer and I launch a conversation that weaves in and out.  Because there were so many other people in the shop this afternoon, I just sort of zoned in to the feeling of the needle, and we really didn't talk much.  Now, I've known Dryer long enough to feel comfortable enough not to speak, so there was a decided bit of progress in today's appointment.  It was different, sure.  But it was a good kind of different.

That led me to thinking about the ways in which I've changed as a human.  Because I grew up always knowing that I wanted more than welfare and section 8, I have a bit of a chip on my shoulder.  I mean, I have long known that in order to succeed and excel in life, I need to reach.  Reach far and wide, extend my vision to see more than just the present moment.  In a way, the ink that I have is a direct representation of that truth; the notion that I understand from where I’ve come, and even more, have an idea where I’m heading.

Today, I met many of the people I’ve been hearing about for ages, but have never had the chance to meet in person.  It was wonderful to be able to finally put faces to names, recall stories I’ve heard, and understand the connections.  As par, I brought Dryer a bit of my newest vegan creation, and it felt wonderful to share my art with my artist as he prepared to mark me permanent with his own.

So, again I have a new piece.  

This little stallion is a good reminder that I am a human, full of choices and options.  It’s not so much that I have to reach beyond the bubble any longer; rather, the bubble, the boundaries that I’ve sought so hard to supersede are so different than when I started.  Today, I’m grateful for progress.