Being The Painter Or The Paint

Tonight, in the great show, Tracker, the following quote was shared by Reenie (Fiona Rene), “Life goes two ways: you are either the painter or the paint.” This a metaphor that highlights two different approaches to life. This is really the choice between being active in our own lives or passive.

If we’re the painter, it means we actively create, shape, and influence our life’s path through our choices, actions, and decisions. We take control and craft our own destiny.

Conversely, if we’re the paint, it suggests that sometimes, life or circumstances can simply happen to us, and we might be passive, being influenced, or shaped by external forces rather than actively shaping our lives.

Carl Jung emphasized the importance of integrating different aspects of ourselves. Jung acknowledged that at times, we might be more receptive, allowing external influences or our unconscious material to shape us (akin to being “the paint”). At other times, we take active control and shape our identity and life experiences intentionally (like being “the painter”).

Overall, the quote is a reminder encouraging self-awareness about whether we’re taking charge of our lives or letting external factors dictate it, urging us all to consider how much we are creating our own experiences versus being shaped by others.

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