BUILDING SOLID FOUNDATIONS
In
this first series of stories, I want to
give you some examples of what people have
already done in their lives to add heart
and meaning. In each of the seven sections
there are several topics. Each story comes
from one of the topics inside that section.
Once a week one story from one section will
change, so in a month there will be four
new stories for you to read. There will
be no analysis of the story, just a sample
to whet your appetite for creating something
special and meaningful in your life. The
newsletters will offer another story with
more nuts and bolts on how to design and
accomplish your own unique and personal
time.
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Stories about birth, everyday life, family time, and
nature. Building a solid foundation allows us to move into
the world with conviction.
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PICTURING MAGICAL MOMENTS
Read
about a woman who chooses to capture a scene in
her life everyday through drawing.
 
Sally
and her husband spend a month each summer on their
boat exploring the beauty of Puget Sound. Keeping
a journal for each trip reminds them of all the
experiences they have, people they meet, places
they visit, the weather, and distances traveled.
After twenty or more years of keeping track of
their trips, Sally decided to experience the voyage
in a new way. She bought a lovely hand made journal
with thick blank pages, purchased some watercolor
color pencils, a couple of paintbrushes, and three
pens. Sally, with little or no drawing experience,
was ready to attempt an art journal.
Many
years ago Sally was charmed by reading a travel
journal of a friend who drew pictures in her book.
The fact that this woman happened to be a real
artist kept Sally from even considering that she
too could attempt such a project. Sally finally
tapped into her courage to 'just try it'. Her
intention was to draw at least one picture a day
in her journal. The hard part, even before she
started, centered on the issue of judgment of
her work. Could she actually attempt this project
and accept what would present itself on the pages
of her lovely book? Realizing ahead of time that
this was a problem, Sally consciously gave herself
permission for personal expression in whatever
form it took.
Already
on the first day of the trip Sally saw her surroundings
with new eyes. She carefully watched for a subject
for her first entry. When she finally put pen
to paper, the fear and trepidation was almost
paralyzing due to her inner voice focusing on
failure. Sally didn't give into that nagging call,
but proceeded to see what would come forth. The
first several entries served to get to know the
tools. Since Sally was using ink, whatever she
put on the paper stayed there - no erasing possible.
Each line became a conscious statement. She needed
to put her closest subjects on first, and then
move into the background or her lines would cross
cluttering the design. After sketching out her
page, she filled in the colors with her pencils.
Colors covered colors and took on a deep fullness
of intensity. When she added the brush with plain
water, magic happened as the strokes on the paper
became fluid movement merging the colors. Discovering,
shadows and perspective added new excitement to
her work. Each day turned into an adventure of
discovering a subject, then putting that image
on paper. Sally found that it wasn't important
what came out because the process itself gave
her pleasure and direction for her entire trip.
Sally
discovered that she produced meaningful moments
on a daily basis. By taking the plunge to try
something totally new and different and pushing
her personal boundaries, what started out looking
like a scary venture turned into a gift. Sally
reminds us that marking the moment can come in
small daily doses as well as larger, planned events.
We can capture magic in places where we might
never look when we make a decision to venture
beyond our self-imposed limitations. Each of us
possesses an abundance of creativity that aches
to be discovered and spill out into the world.
As we connect with our courage to discover the
enchantment of what lies within, we set the stage
for crafting special moments for ourselves. Don't
neglect this part of your personal journey. Sally
discovered delicious moments through adding a
new dimension to her everyday life and was richly
rewarded beyond her wildest dreams.
Do
you need to start taking the piano lessons you've
thought about for years? Does thinking about dancing
make your head spin? Where have you left your
yearnings? Grab them and become aware that these
small delicious moments help make life rich and
fulfilling. Special times arise when we set the
stage for their appearance by being proactive
and intentionally making them happen. Be courageous.
Look deep into your heart and trust where your
intuition takes you.
Sally
gave us permission to share a couple of her drawings
with the hope that she might encourage each of
you to look beyond your personal limitations and
strive for unlocking the adventures that come
from within.
Be
sure to send me a story of what you have created
in your life. Email info@mark-the-moment.com
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