Daruma Doll

“it's the possibility of having a dream come true that makes life interesting.”

-paulo coelho-

the alchemist

Day 30/31: as i gave my daughter a bath tonight, i glanced up at the shelf and my daruma doll was staring back at me. i see him every day, but today i noticed that he was a mandala. i bought this doll in 2008 as i was graduating from my master's program. i learned about the daruma doll because there was one in the counseling room that i interned in (i think he still had one eye, too). when you receive a daruma doll, both eyes are blank. you color one eye in when you set a goal, and fill the other one in when you achieve that goal. as i was wrapping up my schooling and about to start my professional career, i had lots of goals and wishes. the specific goal i had in mind when i got this little guy has not come to fruition, and i am not sure it ever really will. 

the doll symbolizes perseverance and good luck. i think by now i can say that i have both. sometimes i am tempted to just go ahead and color in his other eye. yes, the original goal is still pending, but maybe i am not so sure i want to achieve that one so much anymore. i am in a place where i want to be and am doing the things that fill me up.  i don't think i could have planned it any better.

when i graduated, i had this quote printed in the program next to my name. i still love it. and i think that is why i am not going to color in that other eye.