I almost Didn’t Go
May 2, 2024
This past weekend I went to a women’s retreat at our church. I know that probably surprises you because I am not the retreat type! I can’t tell you how many ways I tried to talk myself out of going and how close I was to just driving by the church and heading back home. But I didn’t. That was a a big step for me and just one more way of stretching myself beyond my comfort zone. I am not a big crowd girl, a front row girl, or the one who volunteers for all of the opportunities that come along. Nope. I can hide in my studio, by myself, all day everyday if given the opportunity. The perfect evening is a quiet dinner with my husband and our dogs, having a glass of wine and reading a book. And please don’t ask me to stay up late! So why am I telling you this?
All of us have our strengths, weaknesses, loves, hates, things we’re comfortable doing and things we really don’t like doing. One of the many things my art journey is teaching me, especially as I’m learning to reach out to you in a new way, is that if we always hide and say no we will miss out on some of the treasures life has to give us. It’s when we step out of our comfort zone at times we may actually make a new friend. Or learn a new skill. Or find a new path to head down. The door may open wide or it may slam in our face but we won’t know unless we open it and take that first step.
I’m trying new ways of making art and having a blast!! I learned the “rules” and the “right way” to do the drawing, painting, etc. and now I’m trying to break them and see what happens. This could be a disaster but I’ll never know if I don’t walk down this path and try. The painting above is an example of playing with new ideas. Instead of putting a map on the entire panel and painting a Chief on it I took the map and cut it in the shape of his headdress and painted over that. If you look closely you can find towns like El Paso or Denver. Part of the fun is just trying something new.
Before I sign off I want to tell you that I actually enjoyed the retreat!😁. I was asked to sit on the front row for the first session 😳 but when given the chance I moved back a few tables. I met new women and had conversations that wouldn’t have happened if I’d not walked through that door. Let’s keep exploring new paths together and if a door shuts, let’s try another one. One step at a time. One door at a time. Have a great week and I’ll chat with you in a week or two. Bye for now!
Lynn