Pledging for the BGC

Treeshka introduced me to a special group called the Brave Girls Club.

Ever since then, I've wanted to become a full-fledged member. (Don't worry, I won't be borrowing your scrapbooking scissors just yet, Tracy.)

Today as I was reading through some of the archived posts, I came across this one about dreams disguised as a "how the Brave Girls Club came to be" post. I love the illustrations that accompany the powerfully inspiring post.

By Melody Ross, http://bravegirlsclub.com/archives/6571/absurd

And after the last few days I've had, this photograph of the art piece Melody did of a bird leaving its cage is especially poignant. 


Won't Be Back steel art by Melody Ross http://melodyross.typepad.com/.a/6a00d8341c5c2253ef0115720adc97970b-pi.

In Melody's own words (and punctuation), she describes what this piece symbolizes for her -- and I believe for me as well.

Can you see that it says WON’T BE BACK? -can you see there’s a big diamond in the middle of the cage??? …… can you see that the rusty old tarnished birdie is ME??? why would I fly away from a safe cage with a diamond in the middle? well… Because it was time. Well…….at the moment that I made this little cage.. I was making a contract with myself that no matter what happened…..I would stay true to the decision I had just made…… And…let me tell you, it has been hard to not fly back into that cage….or some other cage….cages typically come with a hand that feeds them…..free birds gotta make their own way…. Times are tough for a free birdie these days……

I've since made this photo the background for my laptop and my BlackBerry, to visually remind myself of the contract I have made with myself.

I don't know what NYC is going to bring me or if I can be brave enough to find out, but I'm here to try. I've sacrificed soooooooo much to even be here--and to "make it" here requires a whole lot more than I even have in my bank account or my suitcase. I don't feel like a "Brave Girl"--certainly not qualified to join their Club--but I'm trying to be.