created and controlled by an established organization
established as a common and accepted part of a system or culture
Institutionalized, a word that carries such a negative stigma, that many people could never associate it with their own life. But for the average American, our institutionalization started the moment that classroom door closed behind us as we started our K-12 education. We followed the plan put before us. We got the degrees, chased after stable careers, and funded the 401k accounts. We happily accepted the meager 2 weeks of PTO and 7 sick days a year. We code switched to appease management and became team players in hopes of moving up. Millennials now find themselves living a life they were told to live and not the one they wanted to live.
But what would the average person give in exchange just to have a “CHANCE” to start their careers over and pursue the things in life that brings them joy? How high of a price would they be willing to pay to fully transition into a new career or new way of living while still having their needs met? Maybe they would exchange a few years off their life or give up limb. Maybe they would sacrifice parts of their youth or spend a few years away from family and friends. Well, I’m not a gambling man and I tend to take very few major risks in life. But in 2004, I took that gamble on myself and risked everything just for that chance. And what was the pay out, what did I get in return for such a risky gamble? I got this amazing picture of a frontier house that sits in front of the Grand Teton Mountains.
Ok, the payout was a little better than that. I made it out of the corporate rat race, art classes were scheduled, and I was sitting at the base of a mountain at 4 am waiting for the sun to rise. Some would call it a mid-life crisis but for me, it was an artistic awakening and a life healing moment. Up to that point, I had spent 21 years chasing a career and I had spent 7 years dabbling in art and calling myself a photographer. But now I was actually living authentically! So after three flights, 5 states, over 2,500 miles of driving, and 40 miles of hiking, this art journey had quickly turned literal and physical.
That trip broke through years of institutionalized walls that had been setup in my life. For the first time ever, I was able to take a trip and not worry about a project or deadline waiting for me when I returned home. I was able to book the trip without asking for permission or counting PTO and sick days. My phone didn’t ring and there were no out of office replies set. I drove, I hiked, I climbed, I lived, and most importantly I tapped into an unadulterated space in which to create. And in those six days not only did I achieve an artistic goal with my camera but I started the process of healing from decades of institutionalized living and thinking!
The ability to start over is a privilege and a blessing that few people will ever get. Life, family, and finances usually locks us into the path that we are currently on. And anyone who tries to change their path are often hit with unforeseen circumstances that yanks them right back. In fact, of the 350 million people in America, there are currently only 2.7 million who have had the chance to join, survive, and retire from the military after 20 or more years. That gamble has given me the opportunity to start over.
So, what are my plans for this second opportunity? I want to spend my days creating any and everything that piques my interest and I want to connect with people through that process of creating. After a year of art classes, I have broadened my mediums beyond the camera. Oil painting and pottery have quickly become much enjoyed methods for me to create art with. The hope is that I meet many people who are on their own artistic journey. I want to learn how they see the world through the lens of their art and captured them doing it.
