Days of Auld Lang Syne; End of Year Commentary. (2016)

Should auld acquaintance be forgot,

and never brought to mind?

Should auld acquaintance be forgot,

and auld lang syne?

 – Thomson 1799

At year close I ponder and wonder at my life gone by, my current existence and the one on the horizon. I am blessed with 58 years behind me and life of Art, work, love, accomplishments, and all the headache and struggles that went along with that. With love comes loss, with life comes death, with stability will come change, with aging will come acceptance. 

Winter brings the cold dark nights and short days.


So much dreaming and fantasy of the holiday season. As another year draws to a close it is fitting to mull over hopes left on the sidelines and successful undertakings fulfilled. In the sum of the year I find no concrete answer to the question pondered for years: what “exactly” am I supposed to be doing with my life? 

If someone looks from the outside they can probably see. But they only see a small part. I have probably changed in my Art career four times and not even been aware. I go where the winds and Art take me. Never the best and never the worst; I plod along wondering if I am fulfilling my destiny to the best of my abilities...and also questioning if there are things holding me back; and are the things holding me back... just part of “life” itself?

When I really think deeply about it, I see that I am not in control... that the Universe has put me where the Universe has planned. It has carved my path as a designer, a street Artist, an activist, mother, caregiver, and also given me the character and “tone” which others (and myself) do not always like - but IS my internal fabric. At my core it is this fabric which has had the strength to endure when confronting major obstacles along my way. 

As this year draws to a close, I’ll take a cup o’ kindness yet, for acquaintance be forgot; I’ll raise my cup – and you raise yours, and we’ll toast to auld lang syne (days gone by). Cheers! – Escalera 2015