Courage

Just getting home this afternoon from a long day of being out and about. Time for a little rest. I'm not sure if I will get any painting done today. In the past 2 days, I did start my Jerome Caja Inspired pieces. Painting on condoms has not been so difficult after all. I've got the 3 pieces started already; they're all in different stages of becoming Little Girls.

The piece to the left is titled I Have A Feeling I'm Not in Kansas Anymore. It's a self -portrait of me as Dorothy( as a clown) from the Wizard of Oz. I chose this piece today as I've been thinking about the word 'courage.' Over the years, I have written in my journals attempting to define the word. I believe it takes courage to wake up each day and go out into the world. It takes courage to do anything in our lives, even the simplest of acts. It takes courage to show up to the canvas and paint. Before I start painting, I have observed the fear. I fear that the paintings won't turn out exactly how I imagine them in my head. I fear that I'll make a mistake(s). I fear that they won't be good enough to show. Yet, I keep showing up, courageously. I show up and I allow the brush strokes to flow. I show and I push through the fear. I show up and in the end I have a beautiful Little Girl."


In Facing the Lion, Being the Lion, Mark Nepo writes "Like the courage to persevere through the doorway of nothing into the realm of everything...Like the courage to choose compassion over judgment and love over fear..."

May you go out into the world today, tomorrow, and every day knowing that you are already courageous!