forgiveness

Sometimes we just have to take a deep breath and let go of all the prickly, painful locked down stuff we  carry in our hearts. It took me a long time to figure that one out. I actually once thought that carrying around anger was a mark of some sort of toughness. I didn't understand it was just dead weight.

I have been thinking about foregiveness a lot lately. First, I am painting for challenge that has exactly that theme, but the reason I responded to the challenge in the first place is that I truly did want to consider the ins and outs of forgiveness. when we hurt, we want to stop the hurt. So we run away, self medicate or do something mean to make the person who hurt us want to run away. We don't face the fact that we are hurt. we don't think about simply feeling that hurt, seeing it for what it is and then releasing it, letting fly away from our hearts and thoughts and moving on to gratitude for the things that are good in life.

It's decision, really to choose to focus on what is good in your life. No matter how many hurts we are faced with, we also have many, many blessings...even if that is just that there is a warm cup of tea in front of you or that the sun is rising in an especially lovely way.

I have three other canvases going right now. Obviously this is a big topic for me.

Of course, I have a few other things going on: My new Saturday class at the St. Louis Artists' Guild is a go and I am very excited about that.

I am doing a painting demo at Michaels for Grumbacher on Saturday.

I do still have a surprise for you at the beginning of July.

Oh, and my friend, Rebecca over at Recuerdo Mi Corazon is holding a wonderful event:. Some wonderful  artists have donated works for this cause. You can win an amazing original artwork and help the children of Oaxaca. Rebecca is an angel for arranging this and her website is always rich and delicious. Please visit her there.