Four Items To Destiny

Upon my return home today I found a FedEx box waiting upon my doorstep. It was one of those post holiday gifts, where the good intention was to have it arrive before Christmas, but inevitably always seems to end up getting there after the new year regardless of one's best efforts. It was from my former copilot, and I was somewhat surprised by the large size of the box, considering I was only expecting a CD.

Once opened I discovered not one, but four items that are pictured in the photo above. In of themselves they hold little meaning, but together they come to represent a defining part of my soul. They are as follows:

Sunglasses
"Big Trouble In Little China" complete original soundtrack CD
"Art And Fear" by David Bayles and Ted Orland
The 2009 Thomas Guide street map of the greater Los Angeles area

The CD and LA street map were gifts from my former copilot (the CD for Christmas, the map for when I finally moved to LA). The sunglasses I had bought on one of my excursions to the west coast. I found it easier to leave them behind, as I developed a knack for either breaking or losing them from one side of the country to the other. The book was also mine, which I had lent to my copilot in the hopes that she too would be inspired by the material as I had been, since we were both writers by talent.

I quickly squirreled them away to different corners of my room and embarked upon my daily walk. There wasn't an accompanying note or card, but there didn't need to be. I knew that on one hand the bulk of the items were remnants of a former relationship, little bits of wreckage that one finds once the ship has crashed. It was the physical manifestation of a relationship door closing. I was content to enjoy the CD and leave it at that, but as I strode through the cold January air, a greater meaning overtook these four items:

They were part of who I am, and who I wanted to be.

Film is my passion, my religion. The artist, the writer, the screenwriter constantly stirs within me. The book, "Art & Fear" inspired me to embrace that passion fully and leave the self constructed walls behind. Ironically, that book was recommended by a screenwriter and filmmaker named Robert Rodriguez on one of his DVD commentaries.

The CD is a soundtrack from one of my favorite 80's movies. One of the few films in which I know all the lines of dialogue, as well as most of the musical cues. The hero, Jack Burton, and the style of writing still bring me joy and continue to inspire the types of stories I create 25 years after the film's release.

The Thomas Guide represents the finding of my way on the artist's journey. LA is ground zero for my passion, and while I may or may not one day live there, it certainly doesn't hurt to know your way around, physically, spiritually, or creatively.

The sunglasses represent the fame associated with all that is Hollywood. It is the reward for the fruits of your labor. You become a creator of magic, entertaining millions around the world. Everyone knows your name. The sunglasses can shield you from the bright spotlights, but leave them on too long and you run the risk of losing yourself within the illusion.

These items bound together illustrate one third of my soul (swordsman and adventurist being the other two thirds). They symbolize the journey forward, moving defiantly towards the goals which I have set before myself in this life. They are not an ending of something that was, but instead a reminder of who I am in this 'Verse, and where my destiny lies.

Four items to catapult me forth down the path, and my soul ignites over what lies ahead. This is a powerful way to begin my new year.

Take some time to find the Items to Destiny in your life. They are ready to illuminate your path.