paths

Those of you who know me have seen this before:

This symbol means a lot to me, and it gives me inspiration, comfort, and peace. Over the years, I've imbued it with a lot of meaning:

The circle represents entirety and the universe as a whole; the lines represent the complexity and interconnectedness within that whole. Everything we do affects others, has a ripple effect.

The four quadrants represent head, heart, health, and hearth, reminding me to nurture and appreciate my intellect, my emotions, my physical state, and my family [both blood and chosen]. Balance, perspective, priorities.

The design itself reminds me that paths cross, they run parallel, and they diverge...it's all a part of life. This more than anything is closest to my heart...the way our lives intersect, with effects immediate, long-term, and sometimes never truly understood. You never know which connection will impact you, will trigger other events, or will be a catalyst in your life.

I search for this symbol in every Celtic store I come across. I have a sticker of it on my car, it is on my 'geek for hire' business cards, it's embossed on my wallet, and I once had a ring with a simpler version of it [passed on as a token to one who shared a path with me for a while].

It's a touchstone for me, a good reminder of the things that are important to me; it helps remind me to keep perspective in the maelstrom that can be daily life.

Not bad for a few swirly lines...