Redbubble Create (a part of Redbubble.com) asked its artists to identify their favorite works … from their own portfolios. This is hard for me. I was brought up “not to get a big head,” which included not talking about my own accomplishments. I’m learning that not sharing or talking about my work deprives me of part of the enjoyment. It’s okay to look back with pride in what you’ve managed to do, whether it’s deal with a difficult situation at work, learn to prepare a new dish, or create a painting. It’s okay to enjoy your work, and yourself.
Lately I’m creating some work that I’m really happy with. Mark and I are working on a screenplay which deals with difficult subjects, and I’m enjoying polishing it to send it out. It’s really pretty good. I’m working on two books, one light, one dark, both funny, and feeling a lot of satisfaction in seeing them come together. We’re training a little puppy, and while she’s a handful, she’s responding and learning. I’m creating some new artwork that really makes me smile.
There are difficult things going on, too, but they don’t erase or negate the happiness I’m getting in other areas. In the Bible, one apostle talks about being “in the world” but “not of the world.” Another says that he’s learning to separate how he feels from how happy he is. A meditation teacher once told us that “pain is mandatory, but suffering is optional.” So how I feel physically in that moment, or knowing that something in my life isn’t how I want it, doesn’t mean I can’t enjoy anything or be happy at all.
Right now, work is a lot of fun (when I get to work between running the puppy out to pee — she’s new to housetraining). Here’s some of what I’ve been up to at
For when enough is more than enough.
Redbubble:
A young dragon takes a bath in the sacred pool before embarking on her first voyage.
The guardian of the night at work.
The feeling of a garden in full bloom.