Best In Show

This morning I headed out to the gym wearing brand new sneakers. I remembered being a kid and wanting to race the kids at school when I wore new sneakers. I thought I could run faster.

I remembered being a kid at Assumption Elementary School and playing kickball. I remember kicking the red rubber ball as hard as I could so that I could run around the bases, home- free! It was in playing kickball that I remember the first feelings of competitiveness. I remember wondering why certain kids didn’t bother trying, to give it their best regardless of their capabilities. To me, it didn’t matter whether my team won or not, but rather that we gave it our best effort.

Over the years, I have carried with me, this ‘best of efforts’ idea. It's sort have been a way of living. It’s a way of honoring my abilities, my gifts from the angels above. It’s not about being better than another, nor whether I win or not, but rather in knowing that I have truly done my best.

In my works of art, I do the same. Each Little Girl is a reflection of the best of me. In bringing them to life, there is often a struggle in the process, but there is also a moment of surrender, of trusting the powers above, and of allowing the magic to unfold.

The piece here is titled “Bitch Walker.” It’s an early piece and is meant to be pure silliness. In writing about being the ‘best,’ I choose it today as I thought of the movie ‘Best In Show’ and the degrees to which people can take these dogs shows so seriously. Though I have never been to a dog show, I often wonder if it’s truly about the dogs.

Enjoy the sunshine today.

Don’t Be Great, Be Outstanding!