Life's Lessons

Have you ever had time stop as you realized a major life moment was happening? Well, I did last week. I had the opportunity to work with a group of fantastic ladies who are raising money for their school. Our goal for the evening was for them to come to the studio and have a volunteer kick-off party. The key activity other than visiting and bonding as a team was for the ladies to help paint a painting that they can then auction at their fundraiser. Some people jumped right in and others held back but with a bit of coaxing, came up and participated.

The "AHA moment" for me came when one person came up and asked " how can you let other people mess up your beautiful creation? I don't understand how you can put so much work into something and then allow it to be destroyed!" I thought "what are you talking about, the mistakes are what will make the painting more beautiful and interesting plus I can always fix it!"

At that moment, time stopped for me. I realized that my art is an extension of my life philosophy. Not only do I love painting beautiful objects, places and people , but I also approach my work the way I view life. Don't sweat it, relish the mistakes they will give you a better product most things are fixable. Now... I have not always been this way.

When I was growing up, I would work and work to make things just right in whatever I did. I learned quickly that there would always be something that I would have no control over and inevitably, things would not be exactly the way I had envisioned them. Lucky for me I was raised by parents who already knew the secret of happiness in this world. My mother would share this bit of wisdom with me over and over and over-- " Sweetie, we don't worry about things that we can't change only the things we can." To sum up her point in another way, if it isn't life threatening then get over yourself and roll with what comes your way. Things may turn out better than you planned.

I have found that some of my most successful creations come from the worst beginnings or mistakes. I also have the wisdom of a little bitty bit of age that now as in my art, I approach life much the same way. I can only control myself and my reactions to what happens around me and how others behave.If I take responsibility for the things that I can change then I have to power to create a fantastic work of art. It's as my father has always said "Always take the high road,you may not win the battle but you will win the war. The war of creating a happy life!