Happy Birthday to my baby, who is always expressing her delightful little self.
Meaning is the secret ingredient. It’s not the special sauce because it goes much deeper than something that is merely on the outside, like a coating added later.
Meaning is the essence you pour into everything you do. Your sense of purpose activates it. Likely, you can’t not instill it into everything you do.
Essence is not only about, for example, my mother’s cooking (although, of course, you’ll find it there). It’s also in the laundry detergent I prefer because it has a more natural, less chemically scent, or the comfort food (which reminds me of my mother’s cooking, no doubt), or the local family-owned pet shop where I choose to buy our ridiculously over-priced pet food (which also has an essence of its own, while we are on the topic).
Essence is in everything I choose to read and also in everything I write. It’s in each piece my students write, which is likely why I never tire of working with new writers, because I know that I am glimpsing something essential and eternal in something even as mundane as a list article.
So, if everything you do is infused with your essence, and everything you buy or choose also has an essence, how are you being thoughtful about how you wield your essence today?
Remember, there is only one you. Therefore only one person with your same gifts, tastes, and choices.
We really need you to be you and share you. It’s always been enough.
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Lovely post Christina and a perfect reminder that your best writing comes from the uniqueness in each of us. The world needs more of each of our individual unique essences (I know that’s probably not grammatically correct, but like I tell my kids, “I have an English degree, which means I can make up words!”). š Thanks for the post.
Christina, your post reminds me of a fond memory from a college philosophy class. We were considering the meaning of “essence” (the essence of essence, as it were). As so often happened, the discussion had degenerated and gone all tangential. In the midst of bantering back and forth with us, our professor suddenly pointed at me.
“There’s Courtney!” he proclaimed. “We know she is Courtney, because she has the essence of Courtney-ness!”
My fellow student, Robert, frowned. Then he indicated the plaid scarf around his neck and said, “So, I know this is a scarf because it has the essence of scarf-ness?”
“YES!”
Indeed, our individual essence is what sets us apart from each other and makes us unique, identifiable, distinguishable. I haven’t thought consciously for awhile about just how I am wielding my essence (the essence of Courtney-ness!). It’s good to have a reminder. Thank you, Christina!
I truly believe that when you embrace your essence, with intention, with voice and action, people and life responds. You’ve just got to trust that is IS enough and put it out there. BTW, the pic of your “baby” is simple beautiful!!
So beautifully said, Christina. Thank you for this reminder!
Thanks for the story, Courtney. Great example. š
Thanks, Judy. She’s so darn big. It’s killing me!