Musing - Who Are You? (Lisa)

They say a picture is worth a thousand words. In times past, families were represented by a coat of arms. Heraldry was used to depict who a family was, what they stood for, what they fought for. Signet rings were used by royals to show that documents were legit, that what was written were truly the words of the king. Wax seals were used to seal letters. they also indicated who the sender was.

I recently faced the challenge of creating my own such symbol. Something that represents who I am. And if a picture is worth a thousand words, then such a symbol should truly be able to tell you who I am. I struggled for days trying to come up with something. No matter what I saw, it didn't quite fit my idea of me. I spoke with others about it, and finally my husband shared a concept that just felt right.

I spent the better part of two days trying to sketch out what he had envisioned. It includes the first letter of my first name, fire, and a quill. For those who know me, fire makes sense. I am slightly obsessed. I have a pyromaniac tendency or two....kept under tight control. Usually enjoyed in the form of candles and campfires. Fire also represents passion. I'm rediscovering mine, and I see passion as vital to life and health. The quill is my passion. Writing is my life. It's who I am. It's what I need.

While this isn't representative of all I am, it is true to who I am. I holds the most sacred part of who I am as a person, what drives me as a mother, a wife, an artist. This symbol is me, and it truly is worth a thousand words. I've since had that symbol made into a stamp, stickers and it's on a pen. Seeing it surrounding me, I'm starting to feel confidence building in myself. I look around and I see this symbol, this representation of me, and I like what I see. I want to become what this crest is saying with its thousand words.

What picture is worth a thousand words to you? If you had to choose a symbol to represent yourself, what would it be? Think about it for a while. You may find you learn something about yourself. You may gain confidence in who you are.