I came across a quote that completely stopped me in my tracks. It not only inspired me to paint, but it sent me down a rabbit hole into poetry, which is not something I regularly read.
The quote is:
Birds born in a cage think flying is an illness
It’s attributed to filmmaker and author Alejandro Jodorowsky
To be frank, I’d never heard of him. So I started where most of my rabbit holes begin, Wikipedia.
That’s when I learned he’s a Chilean-French filmmaker, author, poet, and even a comic book writer.
From there, I found his bio and poems on PoemHunter.com. Here’s one I particularly related to in English and Spanish.
Selfportrait
I like to develop my consciousness
to understand why I am alive
what is my body
and what I have to do
to cooperate with the universe plan.
I dislike the people
who accumulate useless information
and create artificial behaviors
plagiarized from important personalities.
I like to respect the others
not by the narcissist deviations of their personality
but for their internal development.
I dislike the people
whose mind doesn’t know how to rest in silence
whose heart incessantly criticize the others
whose sex lives unsatisfied
whose body gets intoxicated
without knowing how to be grateful for being alive
every second of life is a sublime gift.
I like growing old
because time dissolves the superfluous
and preserves the essential.
I dislike the people that convert
childless bonds of lies into superstitions.
I dislike that there is a Pope
that preaches without sharing his soul with a Popess.
I dislike that religion
stands in the hands of men
that despise women.
I like to collaborate
not to compete.
I like to discover on each being
that eternal jewel that we can call
internal God.
I dislike art
that deify the belly button of who practice it.
I like art whose means is to heal.
I dislike seriousness
I like everything that causes laughter.
I like to face up willingly
my suffering
with the purpose of expanding my consciousness.
Autorretrato
Me gusta desarrollar mi conciencia
Para comprender por qué estoy vivo.
Qué es mi cuerpo y qué debo hacer
Para cooperar con los designios del universo.
No me gusta la gente
Que acumula datos inútiles y se crea conductas
Postizas plagiadas de personalidades importantes.
Me gusta respetar a los otros,
No por las desviaciones narcicistas de la personalidad,
Si no por su desarrollo interno.
No me gusta la gente,
Cuya mente no sabe descansar en silencio,
Cuyo corazón critica a los otros sin cesar…
Cuyo sexo vive insatisfecho…
Cuyo cuerpo se intoxica sin saber agradecer que estás vivo…
Nada en su mundo de vida es un mundo sublime…
Me gusta envejecer
Porque el tiempo disuelve lo superfluo y conserva lo esencial.
No me gusta la gente
Que por amarras infantiles a mentiras,
Las convierte en supersticiones.
No me gusta que haya un Papa
Que predica sin compartir su alma con una Papisa.
No me gusta que la religión esté en manos de hombres
Que desprecian a las mujeres.
Me gusta colaborar y no competir.
Me gusta descubrir en cada ser esa Joya eterna
Que podríamos llamar Dios Interior.
No me gusta el arte
Que diviniza el ombligo de quien lo practica.
Me gusta el arte que sirve para sanar.
No me gustan los tontos graves,
Me gusta todo aquello que provoca la risa.
Me gusta enfrentar voluntariamente mi sufrimiento con el objeto de expandir mi
conciencia!
I guess this is what they mean when they say art matters. I felt seen after I read this.
I’m enjoying growing older. I like collaboration more than competition. And lately, I’ve been turning to art to cope, whether it’s playing guitar at my novice level, finding a quote that inspires me to paint, or even writing this.
For my own sanity, I need to keep creating and learning, especially in a world that (as the poem says) incessantly criticizes others.
Sorry to get a little deep. I’ve got a lot going on, but sharing this has helped immensely.
I’m going to do a quick goal check-in. 🙂
2026 Goal Tracking
Cooking/Food
#SaladTime
Goal: Once a Week ❌ On Hold
#SaladTime videos! You can see them all here in a YouTube playlist.
This is on hold for now, but my salad consumption is still up. I shoot for a salad a day and have been eating all my greens by week’s end. So I am taking that win!
Weekly Soup
Goal: Once a Week ✅
I totally forgot to take a photo this week, but I made a fun Sweet Potato Soup with cubed Ham and Frozen Peas
This combo is especially good when you roast cubed sweet potatoes with a couple of onions and curry powder. Then puree with some stock and a chunk of cream cheese. It’s great on its own, but for a protein boost, I cubed some ham, browned it in a skillet, and added it to a bag of frozen peas.
I have one serving left that I will be enjoying for lunch!
Sourdough
Goal: Once a Week ❌
Not this week, plus I still have some from last week!
I may adjust this goal to once every other week, just to be realistic about my bread consumption.
I plan to turn the leftovers from last week’s loaf into croutons, which are my new favorite salad addition. 🙂
Homemade Pasta
Goal: Once a Month
- January 1/9 ✅
- February 2/15 ✅
- March 3/1 ✅
I didn’t even realize it was March when I made pasta this weekend, so YAY me. This month is already checked off!
I nearly forgot to take a photo until I was packing up the one leftover plate I had.
We’ve been starting a new Sunday Dinner tradition where my mom comes over, and we eat while playing a board game. It’s nice, and I enjoy having the family together as it’s happening less and less the older the boys get.
Evan in the Kitchen
Goal: Once a Week ❌
Failing but keeping it here as a reminder.
Fitness/Weightlifting
Olympic Lifting Training
I leave tomorrow for Columbus!! And today was one of the best days I had in the gym in the last few months!
Handstands/Pull Ups/Jump Rope
These are all at the bottom of my list. Once this competition is behind me, I’m going to refocus on these goals.
Daily Walks
These are on the rise now that the weather has finally broken!
Hikes
- Goal: Twice a month
- January 1/3, 1/15, 1/23 ✅
- February ❌
Recommitting to this in March! I miss my time in the woods.
Hot Yoga
- Goal: Twice a month
- January 1/4, 1/11, 1/18 ✅
- February 2/1 ❌
- March 3/1
Much like my pasta goal, I didn’t even realize Sunday was March. So here I thought I was checking off my last yoga class for February, but I was really kicking off March!
Pickleball
Pickleball last night was a blast. We were paired up with a few better teams, didn’t win much, but held our own.
I love this standing date with the Husband too. We’ve never committed to something like this before. I’m pretty sure we’ll be buying our own paddles soon and signing up for another league once this one ends next month.
Creative/Other Pursuits
Music
Here’s my progress on the chord-switching game I’ve been playing for the last couple of months.
There is definitely an upward trend emerging, and I love it. This was my goal with blogging this year… proving Bob Ross correct!
Painting
See above! 🙂
Acting Class/Drum Lessons
No progress — yet! I researched both and have very loose plans for this summer.
Spanish
Keeping up with Duolingo… no other progress.
Alcohol Reduction
- Goal: No more than two days of drinking a month.
- January 1/1, 1/31 ✅
- February 2/1, 2/21 ✅
- March
Looking Ahead
I’ll be back next week with a full report from the Arnold!
Mom and I are headed to Columbus in the morning. I lift on Saturday at 10 am. I’m looking forward to escaping for a couple of days.
7 replies on “Bird Cages and Rabbit Holes (y02w10)”
Neat post today! When reading about your music endeavors I just wanted to share with you that I am self taught and cannot read a single note of music. I play the Penny Whistle and Irish Drum/Bodhran. I got my start when we did renaissance faires out in California. I just wing it, when playing our songs. We still do faires and play a lot of music for the patrons. My husband and son can play anything with strings. They are both, also, self taught. I think music is an art craft in itself.
I draw my Abby cartoons, quilt, crochet, and dabble in several other artsy things. I have recently realized that a lot of the cooking I do these days, are creative projects too! Yes, cooking is an art form. 🙂
That’s all I have to say today. lol
I totally agree! I think cooking is how I express myself the most. My Dad was a self taught musician as well. I’m just late to the game, but now that I am putting a little time towards it I understand what he liked so much about playing guitar.
Hi Roni, Congrats on your medals 🏅 you have to be so proud! What to go!
I really enjoy your posts.. I do miss your salads videos.. love the different ideas especially for the different dressings.
I am not getting notices when you post here, can you add me again? Thanks Suzan
Thanks!
I’m going to resend the subscribe email to you! 🙂
I miss the salad time videos too… I just wish my classes were sucking all the energy out of me at the moment. I feel like a Zombie right now. 🙁
Get ok it of that zombie mode, you’ve hit this Roni!
Sorry about typo-filled above post. I meant “Get out of the zombie mood, you’ve got this”. Most college students today are a whole other breed, sadly.
Thanks Suzan!