I love a good metaphor

“The ideal life is in our blood and never will be still. Sad will be the day for any man when he becomes contented with the thoughts he is thinking and the deeds he is doing - where there is not forever beating at the doors of his soul some great desire to do something larger; which he knows he was meant and made to do.”
-Phillip Brooks

This morning I had a metaphor epiphany, as I was getting ready for work. In the midst of getting dressed, I got distracted and found myself walking around the apartment without a shirt on.

And… ah ha! That’s a wonderful metaphor for how I’m walking in the world right now. Walking around without a shirt on. In my own house, mind you, not in public—I’m not talking about humiliation and lack of self-esteem here.

But something is missing, and although sometimes I’m not aware of it, sometimes I just can’t help but notice.

I’ve already got my pants on, my foundation—I’m probably not going to change that, but I’m stressing over how I will complement that foundation with my unique personality. Which direction will I pursue? What image will I project? Who will I be?

I haven’t picked out a shirt yet because I don’t know what the temperature is like outside, and I don’t know exactly what to be prepared for.
I could choose to wear a shirt with a message or a picture on the front, but I haven’t decided exactly what message I want to live. And, I’m not even sure that my closet contains the right message.
Do I want to be professional, uptight, and organized? Or do I lean towards casual, bohemian, and relaxed? I see people on either side of the continuum that I admire and want to emulate—but is that really me?
And, also, I’m just plain tired of the options hanging in my closet. I wish I had the resources to start over, but just like reality, I can only move forward from where I am today.

I’m comfortable where I am, without my shirt, but I’m not fully dressed yet. And in fact, putting on a shirt might actually be less comfortable than going without. I can just hope that I don’t pick out a shirt that’s too small, too warm, or too revealing, because then I will regret it for the rest of the day.