"If you wish to make an apple pie from scratch, you must first invent the universe"- Carl Sagan
Our livestreaming shows on Tik Tok oftentimes feature characters that we love in cosplay. One of mine is actually from the X Men - Jean Grey. To be honest, I first disliked her as a character. This is based on 12 year old me's opinion when watching the old 90s X Men TV show. Please do comment if you also loved that old school cartoon! But for a long while, out of all the X Men - I found her annoying. Suffice to say, the characteristics in her that I found annoying were in fact ones in myself that I had yet to integrate. Once I learned to love those attributes in myself, I actually learned to love Jean Grey (Omega Level Mutant) so much more as a character.
A big way in which Jean resonates with me personally is that she would do anything for her friends.Her psychic powers come from empathy - and such the connection to the ALL. Her death enables her infusion with the cosmic entity representing life itself (creation & destruction) - also known as the Phoenix.
It is why it feels fitting to wear Jean Grey for certain comic book readings, her storytelling can come from a place of timelessness - of knowning what it means to die and be reborn again. Storytelling is a powerful way by which we express our inner world.
After all, one of the reasons why I found Jean so annoying ... was because everyone loved her!!! Cyclops, Wolverine, Beast - they all loved perfect Jean Grey. But the more I understood her character, the more I understood why they loved her - why I love her. Her POWER comes from her ability to FEEL - to empathize ... to reach past the pain; the emotional trauma and say "I understand". And mean it.
For a long while, feeling ... loving... I thought that this was a weakness.
Oh no, it is quite the opposite - it is a source of strength.
It is how we are able to create art.
Make magic.
Make love.
Take all of the energy from all that you feel... acknowledge it. And reach out, and help your fellow friends because we truly are in this together.
To me, my X-Men.
Love;
Jean Grey
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