Tuesday, October 3, 2017

“A Wonderful Life”

Blogging Friends…. So last month, I changed my alias from ‘Raelyn’ to ‘Mary Lou’!! Well…. I decided that since Raelyn has been a loyal, intricate, faithful part of my Life {and me} as an artist for over four years…. But I actually ‘created’ her in November 2010…. She deserved a proper ‘sendoff’. So I wrote Raelyn’s eulogy!! Let me make one thing clear…. Because Raelyn was me in every single way, shape and form, then her achievements, her success, her Life is mine!! Let me tell you something…. Although it felt weird to write my own eulogy? Strangely enough? It also felt amazingly therapeutic!! For Blogging Friends and Followers who read my fictional stories—if you suffer from Depression or experience low self-esteem issues—I highly recommend writing your own eulogy and memorial service/funeral!! Why? Because a little introspective self-giving praise and words of affirmation will boost your confidence!! I promise!! This is an emotionally autobiographical story…. It is a fictional story. Peace out, Mary Lou

Note Number One…. By the way? According to my Baby Name Book, ‘Mary Lou’ means ‘blessed’!! That is perfect….

Note Number Two…. I’ve mentioned that I disappeared during The River Challenge for ‘ten months’. Correction…. I actually disappeared—mostly—for one year and three months!! Yikes!!

Note Number Three…. My heart is in Las Vegas right now, with every single beautiful soul who was killed, with every single person who lost their loved ones, with every single survivor, and with Jason Aldean. Concerts are supposed to be one safe place where we go to forget our problems…. And just have fun…. What is the world coming to these days? I cannot help but wonder…. Come on up for the risin’, come on up, lay your hands in mine, come on up for the risin’, come on up for the risin’ tonight…. {Bruce Springsteen, 'The Rising'}

“A wonderful Life”

Changing seasons. Just like with Winter, Spring, Summer and Autumn, Life certainly has several of them. Because, to quote Ecclesiastes 3:1…. ‘For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under Heaven….’ Pete Seeger even wrote about this in his beautiful song titled ‘Turn! Turn! Turn!’, which was made popular by The Byrds. Therefore, you must continuously reinvent yourself throughout Life’s changing seasons!! Because, as versatile musician, singer, and poetic songwriter, Bob Dylan once said…. ‘Nothing stays where it is for very long. Trees grow tall, leaves fall, rivers dry up and flowers die. New people are born every day. Life doesn’t stop.

So, as its seasons come and its seasons go, I—Mary Lou—have felt the need to reshape things!!

“A wonderful Life,” I said, “That is what Raelyn lived!! From ‘Monkeys In The Woods’ to ‘Keep On Keepin’ On’, she wrote thirty-eight fictional stories throughout less than four year’s time as an artist!! How many authors can say that?! Most likely not many, because Raelyn was an insanely prolific writer!! She started out creating children’s stories…. But eventually Raelyn threw the word ‘genre’ away and freely wrote from her heart, soul and mind!! Love stories….? Dramas….? Hallmark movie-like feel-good stories….? Whatever she was in the mood to express? Raelyn wrote it….!!”

I—Mary Lou—was inside Faith, Hope & Love Community Church giving Raelyn’s eulogy.

“Yes….” I continued, “It was a wonderful Life!! However. Like with George Bailey, Raelyn did not always feel as though she lived a wonderful Life. How so? For Raelyn’s Life was not sans emotional and mental issues which ate at her. Because like many—if not most—artists, she was an introspective ‘thinkin’ fool’ {to quote versatile musician, singer, and poetic songwriter Bruce Springsteen} and she felt a lot. Raelyn suffered from ‘mood swing-infused pity parties’ {which was a phrase that she coined} throughout her adult Life. During a particularly low season in Raelyn’s existence emotionally, she once fought {tooth and nail} to keep her love of writing alive when she did not feel like creating fictional stories anymore. Raelyn even mysteriously disappeared—mostly—for roughly one year and three months. During which she went on a time-travelling ‘soul searchin’, rock ‘n roll healin’ journey’ to 1980 called The River Challenge. This experience was Life-changing for Raelyn in more ways than one….”

“Because, during The River Challenge, Raelyn learned that she possessed a heart of stone which needed to be softened….”

“As resulted from her ‘mood swing-infused pity parties’?” I continued, “Raelyn experienced ‘emotional growing pains’ {which was also a phrase that she coined}. What does ‘emotional growing pains’ mean, exactly? What are they? Well…. Raelyn frequently gained maturity, perspective, plus she gradually grew up emotionally, mentally—and spiritually—following those ‘mood swing-infused pity parties’!! However. Just like with physical growing pains, ‘emotional growing pains’ always, always, always hurt. There were tears…. Raelyn experienced very complex thoughts, feelings and emotions….”

“For, although deep within Raelyn there was pain, she somehow became an even better version of herself….”

“So much personal Life happened during Raelyn’s one year, three month-long disappearance, both positive and negative,” I continued, “She was blessed to become an Aunt for the third time…. Her Grampa passed away…. During a season when Raelyn only created five fictional stories, she wondered if she even wanted to return as an artist…. Write for her Readers? Or write only for herself? Those were the questions. Well, when Raelyn came back from her disappearance, she did the best of both worlds…. Mostly…. Raelyn wrote for herself…. And for her Readers, often mixing emotionally autobiographical with fictional….!!”

“Yes, despite experiencing seemingly countless ‘emotional growing pains’ along the way, Raelyn did live a wonderful Life….!!”

“Sadly, that blessed existence came to an abrupt and tragic end on Monday, September 4th, 2017,” I continued, “Raelyn was riding her faithful sky blue-painted motorcycle {which she named ‘Triumph’} down the dangerous, germ-infested, busy, litter-covered, noisy, graffiti-decorated, potholed, homeless people-residing, filthy, Highway 9-2-13. Now, September 4th was Labor Day, so Raelyn had decided that it would be an incredibly soul-freeing idea to take off on her own…. Yes, all alone…. With just a journal, pencils, erasers, pencil sharpeners…. Plus her complex thoughts, feelings and emotions. Sadly, Raelyn lost complete control over ‘Triumph’. As resulted, she crashed, she burned and she died….”

“But, please dry your tears, dear friends, because Raelyn may be gone, but this is not a funeral, we are celebrating a wonderful Life lived!!” I finished.

‘Transformation’. If you were to look that word up in one of my three Webster’s dictionaries {I’m a writer, apparently I collect them} it means…. ‘To change the form or appearance of; To change the nature or character of; To be or become changed’. Ah…. Like when a preborn baby within his or her Mother’s womb gradually becomes an adorable child!! Ah…. Like when a tadpole develops his legs and he transforms into an amazingly high-leaping frog!! Ah…. Like when a caterpillar develops her wings and she becomes an incredibly beautiful, flitting, flower-obsessed butterfly!!

That is exactly what happened to me…. Raelyn was the caterpillar, and I—Mary Lou—am now a butterfly, completely transformed!!


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