Uniquely Yours Craft Journal

Dear Fellow Journalers,

The following is G’s final perspective for 2015. Enjoy!

~Sallie

“I don’t think we’re in Kansas anymore!”  “Look! A yellow brick road! Let’s follow it.”  Frank Baum, The Wizard of Oz.

Let’s face it, we all have our own personal yellow brick road. It’s the path we follow to find our own happiness, our own “Emerald City.” It’s a constantly changing and winding road indeed, and it’s uniquely ours.

Remember when you were a kid? The road then led to something as simple as an ice cream cone. As we got older, things got more complex and complicated.

I had a dream the other night about my life. They say an old man’s dreams are about the past, a young man’s dreams about the future. It’s true. When I awoke and lay there in the darkness, I tried to take a measure of my journey down the road to happiness.

While I certainly have had my share of hardships and tragedies, (just as we all have) all and all my journey down the road has led me to my share of happiness. As I wear an old man’s face, there is no pack of wolves hunting me down. Indeed, there is no single wolf at my door either. I have settled into a comfortable life, and happiness is pretty much my daily companion with a few notable exceptions.

Now the yellow brick road is an ever-changing one. As I travel down it, I can’t help but notice how many “dead bodies” there on it. You know, those persons who gave up traveling the road and just gave up the quest. The modern version of The Wizard, called The Wiz, has a song entitled “Ease on down the Road”. What a bunch of B.S. that is! The road, while a pretty yellow is fraught in hardship. You must always travel with vigilance and care. Failure to do so will make you one of its casualties.

One other thing I’ve learned. When Dorothy traveled down the road, she picked up a few friends along the way. That was good, for all needed some kind of support on their journey. But in the end, each had their personal and unique end. Each had their own quest. Each finished the quest in their own personal manner, each with their own goal. Happiness is NOT dependent on the other guy. It rests within ourselves. Those who rely on others will fall victim to unhappiness, and never find their own personal Emerald City.

And finally, there’s the Wizard himself. Everyone needs a Wizard. Some call him God. Others will call him Destiny. Others Fate. Others the Grand Scheme of Things. No matter what you call it, you MUST have a Wizard!

But if you remember the story, the Wizard had a final surprise! He did NOT grant the wish himself! Instead, he had each seeker look inside himself for their true happiness. He could only give support in the end. Each one had to find their own “Emerald City.”

May I make a suggestion? Latch onto a copy of the Wizard of Oz, either the book or the movie. (Get the original, with Judy Garland and Company). Then gather your family(especially your children and grandchildren) and maybe a few, trusted friends together, and read this piece to them and then study the story. Then…..