Life out there by Erik Pevernagie, oil on canvas, 100 x 80 cm xx

Life is a spread of surprises, and it is both a privilege and  a challenge to react to things and events and find the right answers to thorny questions. In this process, however, it might be wise to change first our perception and our way of looking at things before wanting persistently to change those very things and altering their hallmark.

Sometimes, life presents us with challenging conditions, and trying to navigate them can be utterly overwhelming. Since our most powerful asset is the ability to make choices for ourselves, this freedom to choose, we must conquer, cherish dearly, and practice cleverly.

Liberty is a supreme precious good. It is our compass and reacts to our encounters, bumps into new realities, and navigates through the complexity of our world. It is map-reading the focus of our attention and listening to the wisdom of our past. Our freedom shall follow the signals of the lighthouse of our emotional intelligence and, at the same time, take account of the social veracities.

While our liberty is steering us through the whims of our desires and the ups and downs of our expectations, we must ensure that the puzzle pieces of our destination fit into the mystery structures of the others. We learn to avoid pitfalls or hopeless flops using our awareness and freedom of choice.

As many people feel secluded, they may look forward to breaking free from the restrictions that they have had to suffer or that they have imposed upon themselves. Wanting to leave their imprisonment to meet ‘life out there,’ they may become confused as they have difficulties adapting to their new-found liberty.

Life is a mysterious adventure full of unexpected happenings and captivating episodes with intriguing revelations. We merely have to squeeze it gently and enjoy each drop by only reaching out for “real life, out there.”

Phenomenon: Real versus fake living

Factual starting point of the picture: Person reassessing things