A Coat of Many Colors

A coat of many colors. 

Carrie Bloomston, artist and author of the book, The Little Spark tells the story about how a friend of hers encouraged her to take off her coat. Now she wasn't talking about a literal coat, but rather about how at some point in our life we put on an identity that doesn't belong to us, and continue to wear it as if it did. 

"Whose coat are you wearing?" are the words of Jan McCool, friend of Bloomston. She cautions us not to continue wearing a coat that doesn't fit. I think for me I put on that first ill-fitting coat at adolescence when I desperately wanted to be just like everyone else. 

The interesting thing is that although the coat is uncomfortable after a while you just stop noticing. It becomes such a part of you that you can't imagine removing it. Infact, if you did you would feel quite exposed because you'd have no idea what to replace it with. 

I've become intrigued with this idea as I ask myself the same questions. Whose coat am I wearing, and if it's mine? As I reflect on the things that I assume make-up who I am I'm wondering if they actually fit or not, or if I've just gotten so comfortable in that old coat not to notice anymore?

Bloomston reminds us, " You must disrupt your normal patterns so you can see the world with new eyes." It might be time to make sure I'm wearing the right coat.