the words on my wall

I want to start out this conversation board by talking about the animal tracks running across my bedroom wall in my college apartment. When I first moved in, my walls were white…shriekingly white. And bare. I knew that I needed to fill them up.

About a week into school, I found myself awake in my bed in the middle of the night, staring at my walls. It had been an uncomfortable, strange, and overwhelming week for me, following a summer of a lot of confusion and change. A vision of what to cover the wall with came to me.

Here is a picture of what my wall looks like now.

"My soul is from elsewhere, I'm sure of that, and I intend to end up there." That's the quote. It's by Rumi, an 13th century Islamic philosopher.

For me, this wall serves as a reminder of the imaginary boundaries that surround and restrict me. I want to lead a life that aligns with my soul, and I believe that to do so I must become aware of the boundaries, rules, and definitions that shape my path through this world. Once aware of these things, I might be able to escape from some of them, at least the ones that really go against my soul.

Do you ever think about the soul? About if it's there, and if so, what it is exactly, and what it looks like? The central belief that guides me through life is that there is a soul—a raw, constant essence inside each of us that is not effected by time or space.

What is on your walls? Or in your room? What images, words, or artifacts do you choose to surround yourself with on a daily basis, and why?

Please respond with pictures or descriptions, or your thoughts about any of these things. Thank you!