When I wake each morning I feel blessed. I laze in bed for a few minutes mentally scheduling the events of the day. I always look forward with anticipation to receiving the frames back from the workshop, and while I exercise I remind myself of outstanding job orders that have to be handled and necessary phone calls to make. When I drive myself to the gallery I am on automatic pilot. My thoughts are of innovative frame methods, new fabrics and frame moldings. There are times when I even wonder how I have made it to the Holland Village car park!
From the moment I open my eyes in the morning, I gravitate towards my work and the gallery. I totally enjoy this single-minded focus. My gallery is my gravity.
One of my girlfriends Rachel wakes each morning to thoughts of her boyfriend. She is thankful to be still very much in love with him. Although she is in a high position in the corporate world, she still makes the time to call him in between meetings. In spite of her busy schedule she keeps up to date on the latest fashion trends, follows beauty tips, splurges on luscious lingerie and pampers herself with a regular facial. These efforts are for herself, but also for him.
As they are both busy people they make it a point to do things together whenever its feasible. This way they don’t end up following personal pursuits separately, a common trap for busy couples. He is also her mentor. Rachel feels her relationship has helped her to transform into a person with greater depth and compassion. She feels her career and achievements would be meaningless if she couldn’t share them with her partner. He is her gravity.
Another friend continually looks forward to her painting classes. It gives her infinite pleasure to proudly display her creations in her home and she is gratified to receive praises from her friends. Years before she was simply not artistic (she couldn’t even draw a cat! ) but loved the idea of painting. I encouraged her to try.“ Paint for yourself ”,I guided “not for others.” Today she gravitates towards this new love which has given her life so much meaning.
For many of us, life is channeled around our families. Yet, what happens when our partner is working, our children are at school and our friends are busy.
Gravity is defined as a force that attracts a body to the centre of the earth. Emotional gravity can be defined as a similar force but on a more personal basis. Emotional gravity provides a feeling of purpose and anticipation when you wake, makes you feel useful and meaningful and adds a ‘zest’ to your life.
You may change your own gravitational force or even have different forces from time to time. These may be in the form of a hobby, a job, a person or a charity mission. Is emotional gravity found with the click of a finger? Not usually!
If you find that what you are doing is not really what you wish for and has turned in to a chore, then it has become an emotional burden. As such it is pulling you away from searching for your true emotional centre.
An effective way to develop your own emotional gravity is to search deeply within yourself to identify your strengths and joys and then to find a way to make full use of them. What did you study or train for? Are you good at handicrafts, writing or interacting with people? For some, the family is their emotional gravity and they relish taking care of them full time. You need to determine your own strengths and interests and how they can be developed into a personal gravitational force.
What happens if we lose our emotional gravity ? Is it wise to develop an emotional gravity if it means that our world would collapse should we be so emotionally dependent on a single force? What would happen if I was unable to run my gallery,or if my girlfriend lost her partner? Would we be so devastated that we would lose the spunkiness that keeps us alive and energetic, and makes us who we are?
The honest truth is that I don’t know. What I am aware of is the desire to live for today and now, and to wake with purpose and meaning. Emotional gravity provides me with this and much more.