elizabeth star

I was feeling pretty antsy and aprehensive today. I'm having midterms next week and all the studying has been getting to me. I stayed in bed till noon today and after a few hours of bumming around the house, I decided I needed an outlet to all this frustration - so I decided to tackle the back room in the attic, which has been sort of a storage room for things my mother, my sister and myself have no other place for. I've been wanting to clean it for awhile now in hopes to make it a sort of hobby room for whenever I'm feeling creative. Going through memories that range from a few months ago to before I was born installed such a deep sensation of nostalgia within me. It was weird for me to see right in front of me all of my mother's endeavors that she has put to the side over the years. She has such a creative spirit that she often gives up on or has no time for it. Her current job drains her and she no longer does the things she used to while I was growing up. I remember going to bed and she would still be awake all hours of the night making things for a craft fair or someone's bridal or baby shower. All of these things have collected inches of dust as they have been forgotten in our little backroom. It really inspired me to realize what is important in my life. I love my mother and she has been a tremendous inspiration in my life, but I tend to follow in her footsteps when it comes to giving up on things. In this society today, we tend to get too caught up in the hustle and bustle of everday life. Going to work, trying to make a living, trying to get through school, keep in touch with friends and family, we often forget to keep in touch with ourselves. This creative part of my mother is the part I have always cherished in my heart, because it is who she truly is, and I wish she would embrace it. I'm not going to make this mistake...from now on hopefully I will cherish that part of myself too, because it is truly what I enjoy about myself and life - the power of your own imagination. Hopefully I can inspire my mom to remember this part of herself so we can create together ;-)