White is free of blemish. It is a blank canvas; it is the thought before a great idea. It is pure, unassuming; the pre-empt of greatness. White can be empty, though. It can be the blank noise that drones in your ear at three am, the lifeless bleep that can consume you. What many things we can do with white, but how harrowingly empty it can be.
2020 was stagnant for many of us. Those who usually have a word for the year that will define the intention behind your actions will carry along your goals and dreams for the year; I think we can safely change that word to:
Wait
Pause
Breathe
Holdup
Stay
And we did wait. We waited for the infection numbers to slow down, waited for the curve to flatten, waited for a medical breakthrough in the research conducted to make a vaccine, and waited for the economy to get back on its feet. And when all that waiting did not help, we decided to wait for the new year. And I waited for Souleva to be born.
2021 Our Saving Grace
I remember, on New Year’s eve, my boyfriend and I stayed up all night with enthusiasm waiting for the clock to strike midnight. As if a different calendar with new numbers owed us relief from the anxious year we just had. As if all of our problems will magically disappear at the dawn of the new year. We wanted to do more. We said we would travel; life is short, and staying in one place could be painfully boring; quarantine proved that. We said we would make more friends; we would interact, we would finally live. Then 2021 came along. It has been a few months so far, and I’m disappointed to announce, everything still feels the same.
What could it be?
Could it be because we are still staring at the blank white canvas? You have not made any attempt to draw on it. You are staring at it, expecting a shift, a gradual or sudden change that would bring the picture to life. You have delegated the responsibility of doing something with this painting of yours to a non-existing entity. Somehow, as the human race, we all just wanted to wake up to sunshine and rainbows during this yearly shift without having to lift a finger. The problem is, white is not meant to capture the attention of anyone; it is not meant to represent thoughts, ideas, and feelings. White is intended to give a clear board for us to work with. It would not serve as a distraction; however, it would not serve as a representative.
We all have the canvas of life to work with. We have all been assigned a blank page, a stark white background to amplify whatever picture we want to draw in. It would be best if you did something. Sometimes we bend our knees in readiness so much that we forget to take that leap. We concentrate so much on preparing for something that we neglect taking action. So, could you do it? Just do it. The masks are going away. Are you ready to show your pearly white teeth?