Go West, Young Woman

Go west, young woman, and grow up with the country.

What we need now is for you to manifest your own destiny.

Go west young woman, if only in heart. You are the salt of this earth. You are the love of this life. T

his land uses your lungs to breathe. Young woman, you must go west. Grow the country.

Go west, young woman. Turn towards the sunset and start walking. You know what to bring. You know what you need. Anything you’ve forgotten, you’ll find. Just pack your bag. You’ll lose everything anyway, someday.

This losing won’t be scary once you get yourself out west. Because your journey will remind you that you’re good at losing. You’ve done it since you were a little girl.

Go alone, go quietly. Go west, young woman. Grow the country.

As you go west, you will be tugged and pulled in all directions. You will be tricked into cutting off your hands. You will blindfold yourself, arms outstretched to those more injured than you. They’ll smell you from a mile away. You will think it’s love, it will feel like love, but deep down you will always know. They are bad for you. You’ll guzzle gasoline, anything, to mask that knowing. But young woman, you’re on your way out west. Nothing can stop you for too long. It’s just a matter of time.

Save yourself now to save yourself some time.

You will learn that “unconditional love” is a phrase made up by someone who wanted to act badly without consequence.

It applies only to your babies and yourself.

That’s just biology, survival of the fittest.

So go west young woman, go west.

Make your love conditional as hell.

Go west, but rest for a while after you’ve been captured. You’re injured now, but not for long.

You are hardwired for healing. Resilience is your middle name. Now you know that there is no prince coming to save you. You are your own medicine. You always have been. It’s all coming for you.

Young woman, sometimes you will go downwards, on your way out west.

In your own darkest seasons, you will be pulled underground. Don’t fight this. You’ve always known how to breathe underwater. You know how to dream in the dark. You don’t need light to see. Don’t prevent the stillness. Rest often. Exhale. Go west.

Just a few miles left to go until you’re out west, they will try to pull you back into your state of needing.

Because they don’t like women like you.

They will call you dangerous.

They will try to convince you that you’ve gone mad

There will be please-babe-i-love-yous.They will sink their teeth back into your arm and release their metallic poison.

You’ll fall for it again and again. Be gentle here. Forgive yourself always, but don’t stop. You’re so close. Take yourself all the way west, go west, and the lies will hurt your teeth. Go west, tune your ears for truth. Go west young woman. Grow the country.

Out west, that ruby you have in your belly is polished and beaming. There are diamonds dripping down your spine. You are a woman of spirit. You go to cafes alone. You see poetry in the mountains. They look at you like you’re the most human thing they’ve ever seen.

Go west young woman, grow the country between your ribs, in the palm of your hand.

You’re not a maiden anymore. You don’t need attention, you have you. This will burn anything toxic, watch it all fall away.

Good people will come to you. Joy will rise in your eyes from small wonders, the indigo morning. Your sadness will be seeped in spirit. You’re a mother now, older than the redwoods. Welcome home.

Young woman, I know you’re tired, but we need you to go west. Go west, grow our country.

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THANK YOU GEORGIE ABEL!!!

I have decided to go West, where my heart lies..and of course the mosquitoes the size of helicopters ?  

Steinbeck (inspiration) wrote "Travels With Charlie" after he traveled the country with his poodle...at 58.

So I'm planning to travel with my cat...at 58... and am so excited to see where art  brings me!

Life jumps in front of art so often - and I've been told the best way to learn a language is total immersion .  Therefore, my general plan is to start with 6 weeks and if it goes on, the only deadline I have is my baby's wedding in Portugal this Fall.  

Who knows? I may resume this treck when I return..

Please join me for these adventures!  I promise not to bore, and will provide numerous photos of Percy (and if you do not love cats) the spectacular lands North of Texas!