Allen L Roland

Vincent van Gogh, Self-Portrait, 1889

"My aim in my life is to make pictures and drawings, as many and as well as I can; then at the end of my life, I hope to pass away, looking back with love and tender regret, and thinking, "Oh, the pictures I might have made!" ~ Letter to Theo van Gogh (Vincent's brother), November 19, 1883

I've always been crazy enough to live my dreams and I'm still doing it. I've always said YES to myself and not allowed myself to be controlled by fear. Now I'm living my ultimate dream of sharing and celebrating my thoughts and feelings as a writer and therapist ~ and making a difference in the process:

I've always wanted to make a difference, to share my truth and have it hit a chord that resonates with others.

I've always wanted to just be myself, as outrageous as that might be, and know that it was enough!

I've always wanted to fly and I became a Navy fighter pilot and lived that dream.

I've always wanted to write from my heart, whether poetry
or prose, and have it resonate with other hearts.

I've always lived on the edge and been a little crazy in living
my dreams ~ completely trusting myself ~ and now I am so
happy I found the courage to do that and to continue to sing
my song.

The robin doesn't sing because its happy ~
It's happy because it sings !

I borrowed the following words from Apple Computer's website years ago and decided to share it along with some of my own thoughts. I think it is absolutely appropriate for this moment when so many external things have been taken away from us and we being forced to go inside ourselves.

The title is "Here's to the Crazy Ones"

Here's to the crazy ones.

The misfits.

The rebels.

The troublemakers.

The round pegs in the square holes.

The ones who see things differently.

They're not fond of rules.

And they have no respect for the status quo.

You can praise them, disagree with them, quote them, disbelieve them, glorify or vilify them.

About the only thing you can't do is ignore them.

Because they change things.

They invent. They imagine. They heal.

They explore. They create. They inspire.

They push the human race forward.

Maybe they have to be crazy.

How else can you stare at an empty canvas and see a work of art?

Or sit in silence and hear a song that's never been written?

Or gaze at a red planet and see a laboratory on wheels?

Or, in my case, see a touching photo and make a story out of it that will touch millions.

While some see them as the crazy ones, others see genius.

Because the people who are crazy enough to think they can change the world ~ are quite often the ones who do.

And all they really did was say YES to themselves and not be controlled by fear.

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Allen L Roland
http://blogs.salon.com/0002255/2009/06/26.html

Freelance Online columnist Allen L Roland is available for comments, interviews and speaking engagements ( allen@allenroland.com )

Allen L Roland is a practicing psychotherapist, author and lecturer who also shares a daily political and social commentary on his weblog and website allenroland.com He also guest hosts a monthly national radio show TRUTHTALK on www.conscioustalk.net

Allen Roland’s weblog: http://blogs.salon.com/0002255/
Website: www.allenroland.com
ONLY THE TRUTH IS REVOLUTIONARY