Today, I started out with a simple black felt tip pen drawing. Then, I began playing in Photoshop CS6. (I recently signed up to subscribe to the Cloud. I love it! I had been using CS5, which was wonderful in it’s own right. ) This image is the result of many layers.
Amidst the frosty mornings and the need for growth-inducing action there is a part of me that must take a moment here and there to reflect. I love this chair that I rescued from a curb with a little sad-sack “free” sign tilted in the grass. It feeds my eyes, and on this day it reminds me that I can reflect the light. I don’t have to be the active source of the energy all of the time.
The more that I just breathe, and move through my fear, I discover new blessings every day. This project is already feeling daunting.
And so, I breathe.
I have been feeling the pinch lately of not living up to my own commitments to myself always, and I have observed that I feel much better when I do. One instance that I have been fairly engaged for a good long time is the Daily Napkin project.
I’ve also looked sidelongingly at friends that have maintained a discipline for a goodly amount of time. I decided that this year, I am going to follow suit in my own fashion. This year, I intend to present a new image every day. It doesn’t matter whether it is something I drew, a photograph I took, or even a book cover I designed, as long as it is an image that I somehow created. This sounds like fun! I’m excited about the prospect of it.
Yesterday was the first day of this year. I didn’t post this image because I did not have access to a computer. I’m going to make it clear right here and right now that I will not be approaching this “fun” project in an compulsive fashion, so if I can’t make it to a computer, it is ok for me to post when I can. I’m glad that I broke that ground right off the bat. Just to clear the air.
I saw this lovely lush moss growing up through the astroturf on the stoop/step of the Grange Hall where our band – Souls Journey – played music New Years eve. It speaks volumes to me of how nature transitions even our most unnatural parts with grace and ease. Lovely.
So many times I have let the shoulds and have-tos take over my life, so that there has been no time left for the it-will-make-my-heart-soar-with-joys. Luckily, there is a huge part of me that recognizes that this lifelong habit is out of balance, so I consciously seek and become aware of individuals and circumstances that will remind me to once again follow my hearts bliss, such as Melissa Dinwiddie and her Thriving Artists project.
My last entry on here was last April. It was around that time I started working at our local raw food restaurant – The Green Boheme, which I dearly love. I wasn’t just working there for many hours each week, I continued my graphic design and art businesses as well. I never knew candles had that many ends! Even though it was the beginning of another joyous joyourney, my time became even more premium and I pretty much stopped all of my personal blogging (except, of course, The Daily Napkin, although even that slowed down for a couple weeks).
Today, I got an email from an inspirational acquaintance of mine, Barbara Lopez. I followed links in her newsletter, and ended up discovering her Daily Joy blog, as in DAILY for well over a year. She says in her introduction:
“In January 2010 I set a resolution that I’d find joy in every single day. In the small, and not so small things. But how do I know I’m doing that? By blogging it. It was such a fun and worthy project that I’ve decided to do it in 2011. Hooray for joy!”
Okay, I’m inspired. I rededicate myself to acknowledging my Joy in Life. I do some creative (preferably art) project every day, I allow Spirit’s inspiration to write the Daily Napkin just about everyday my husband goes to work, and I will share my joy here. YES! Life is good. Life is JOY FULL.
(NOTE: It is now December 24, and I have not kept up this intended project. Aw, well! I HAVE been experiencing great joy!)
