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There once was a small child, happy in her own company, who loved music, art and nature. She was full of fun and mischief, and had daily adventures in her back garden which backed onto the woods.
Whenever she felt afraid, she would sing to herself in the dark, the words of the songs brought comfort to her and she would sing herself to sleep.
As she grew, she started to hear a drumbeat far in the distance which she could not resist, so one day against her parents wishes, she went to explore.
She came across a wise woman who took away her music. “You will not need it along this path” she said, and so the girl closed her heart to song, but she still heard the drum, calling, calling.
Then she came across a wise man who was angry with her. He told her to put down her sketch book. “You will not have the space to carry this on the path ahead” he said, and he gave her a heavy rock to carry in its stead. “You will need more of these to keep you steady as you travel” he said. She was deeply afraid, but the drum still called to her as she dragged her feet forward across the dales and hills. Calling, calling, calling.
For years she traveled, adding rocks to her backpack through storms, hail, wind and snow. Sometimes resting for a while in a warm sunny place, but always moving on, pushing through and never giving up.
Until one day, she came across a tall strong oak tree. It’s branches filled the sky, it’s roots sank just as deep into the earth.
The dryad of the tree welcomed the weary battered girl inside its deep, cosy, warm trunk and said. “Sit down, rest here a while”. The girl sat down and they talked.
They talked about her love of music, her joy of creating, and the stories of her journey. They laughed and they sobbed as the years unravelled, and the girl placed her rocks gently on the hearth one by one.
Once all was said that needed to be said, the girl shut her weary tear stained eyes and listened.
In the darkness, she found she was no longer afraid. She could hear the drumbeat louder and louder. Her heart beating intime to it’s steady rhythm.
She watched, amazed as her heart unfurled and there she was
...the woman with the drum.
At every stage of life, it can feel like there’s another obstacle in the way. Without guidance, we can sometimes struggle to get through. For some, there’s a support network or even a kind stranger to show us the way. For others, there isn’t anyone. A point worth remembering. You could be the kind stranger just at the right moment, without even realising.
Sarah Jane’s beautiful words gently guide us through the obstacles that got in the way of the woman with the drum. They show us that some obstacles don’t even know they’re obstacles. In her everyday life, she helps forge paths past obstacles for those who need support the most. Find out more by checking out her LinkedIn profile.
