Flag Oracle #24: The beauty conspiracy of aging gracefully

and news on what's next

Hello friends,

Welcome to the final installment of the two-card Flag Oracle reading series. I didn’t know what to expect when I started on this series 24 weeks ago. I’m heartened by the number of people following along and pleased to welcome a few new people into the fold. Thank you for your attention!

As we neared the end, I wondered how the cards would pair up and what would be the final card. Today’s two cards close out our journey together nicely.

The Perfectly Imperfect flag hangs from a tree that fell long ago and began a new chapter as a home for lichens and moss. The shape of the tree remains even as its exterior ages with time. In the same way, humans are born with the shape of our bones.

Aging gracefully entails the acceptance of our inherent shape and the patterns of life that grew us into who we are. There is no need to alter this shape; its true beauty lies in the collection of experiences and wisdom that makes each of us unique. Just as there is no perfect version of a tree, there is no perfect version of a human.

Honor the shape of your life as a blessing, a necessary path that allows you to be the perfectly imperfect human you have become. Just as a bay laurel cannot become an oak, there is no need for you to strive to become something or someone else; or hold onto an idealized version of your younger self now long past.

In this picture, a fir tree, daisies, wild foxglove, and tall grasses join in a conspiratorial tone to create an organically beautiful scene. It was a moment of pure abundance in which the perfect combination of natural elements emerged to complement the bright colors in the Lakshmi Vortex flag.

What if you believed in a conspiracy of elements that were rooting for you to live a joyfully abundant and beautiful life? In the night position following the Aging Gracefully card, Beauty Conspiracy invites us to accept the blessings of everything that has passed and appreciate the beauty, joy, and tender wisdom that it can bring to whatever we do now. It doesn’t have to be showy or flashy; it can be as simple as a young fir tree and wildflowers in a forest clearing.

Look at how elements of life combine to form a beautiful picture. Recognize this as true abundance, life’s inevitable vortex drawing you into the highest truths of existence.

The art community as a beauty conspiracy

There, I have officially shown you all my cards! I like to think of the entire art world as a beauty conspiracy, and everyone who loves art and nature as my co-conspirators. On Friday (Flag Day!), I got to see a bunch of artists of varying ages with their artwork at the California Mind exhibition at the Marin Society of Artists. Here I am with “Abundance in All Directions.”

The juror wrote,

The amalgamation of the natural and the human-made in this photo stirs so many emotions. This juxtaposition of organic and artificial elements prompts contemplation on the relationship between humanity and nature.

Perhaps there is something about the parade of years adding up that refines the eye and makes us value slowing down and looking. Some of the most energetic artists in Marin County are decades older than me. Friday night’s experience leaves me hopeful that even though I came into art late in life I have plenty of time to evolve my practice even while moving at what feels like a glacial pace due to the demands of a full-time corporate job that’s giving me back pain, elbow pain, and more instability than anyone would want. The job is getting better, but often over the last two years it was all I could do to cope with four manager changes (three were let go with no warning). Making art gives me hope in this time of tight corporate budgets and AI-generated job replacement.

A reality check on art, aging, and finances

So far, I have made $160 from visual art, and as I described in this video with

Kate Farrell

, student loan payments comprise 18% of my take-home pay. (The interest alone is over $500 per month). People often ask me where my art studio is and what kind of camera I use, and that’s why my kitchen table and an iPhone are the answers. Here’s my current financial picture in proportional pieces of fabric. I’m proud to report that two years ago, the green and blue side of this chart was empty.

Financial picture in fabric strips

Exposing this information is my version of Aging Gracefully; this is the shape of my perfectly imperfect 52-year-old life.

Like most of the artists in the California Mind show, I make art because I love it. And it’s time to put more energy into getting something back for it. The secondary purpose of this email series was to see if I could build enough demand for the Flag Oracle to start seeing a return on my investment by selling artwork, Oracle decks, or offering paid email subscriptions. At this moment, the economics do not look favorable with just over 100 subscribers and typical 2-5% purchase conversion rates.

The United States Government will get a 200% return on my student loans. My startup employer’s investors expect a return on their $400 million investment (the company is still not profitable). I hoped by the end of this series I might see a way to start seeing a return (or at least covering my hard costs) on my 15-year investment in art and writing.

I have some ideas for new series, but nothing pops with a clear “yes.” I do, however, feel some positive energy in other activities that could get my writing published and my artwork exhibited. Plus, my body needs some time to heal from the stress of my job. I am experiencing pain in multiple parts of my body throughout the day.

Time for a break

The Inspiration Station will be paused for an undetermined amount of time while I decide what’s next. Writing this Flag Oracle series has been a highlight of my week this year, yet I’m intrigued to see what a free Saturday morning feels like and what other activities it might inspire.

I’m so grateful for your attention, and I hope these weekly missives have indeed been inspirational for you.

Until next time, look for me in this box, looking for inspiration from the treetops.

at Cornerstone Sonoma

Love,
Lee Ann