I am the wife of a very talented musician who takes me around the world in pursuit of excellence. Mama to Jakob, Audrey and Ella, who just happens to have Down Syndrome.
And an aspiring disciple of Jesus, defender of the oppressed, writer, graphic designer and photographer.
I write and speak on navigating through the fog of life…you know, when things don’t go exactly as planned and am fuelled by a passion to amplify the voices of those on the margins…
oh, and coffee…lots of coffee.
The problem with being paid to create is that you become less creative. I have entered a time in my life where things are theoretically pretty good. I have a flexible job which requires me to use my writing and design skills. I am finally, after 8 years of waiting, doing graduate studies. I live in a cute little house complete with wood burning fireplace and yet, I feel that I am so busy that I don’t have the time to enjoy any of it or be creative, let alone feed my creative soul. I don’t have time to blog: while there is never a shortage of things to write about, feel my posts are sub-par because I when I finally do take the time to write, I sell so many thoughts short. I take the pictures I have to: there are so many occasions when the light is hitting the water, the trees, the sky, a face just right and I don’t take the stop. I think of a concept and don’t grant it expression or articulation. And I don’t let my soul give way to inspiration. I have two issues of Kinfolk still in the box…waiting….for a quiet moment, a cup of tea, a warm fire. When I was in England, I dreamt of how when I returned to BC I would paint all of the things I saw in Cambridge. So far, I have painted a mailbox… or a few mailboxes.
Friends, this stops now. The truth about my nature is that if I don’t take the time, it will never come. I will clean my house, I will stress about finishing my book review that is due a whole two weeks from now, I will fuss about organizing my files, my towels, my socks and the list goes on. I grew up conditioned knowing there was always something more to be done and work came before play. This has produced not only a great work ethic but an inability to relax, let go, breath, leave room for creativity to grow, fester, percolate.
But the truth is, that my God given creativity is a life source and so much of who I am and how I define myself. Whether it be a collage wall of craig’s list and garage sale finds, or documenting my day visually, verbally, poetically. I search longingly for definition and style when I deprive my artistic nature of being a part of my day-to-day.
So here is to refocusing. To taking time. To creating. To cups of tea. Crackling fires. Taking a picture of yet another breath-taking sunset. Reading for fun. Listening to new music. Boiling Stock for homemade turkey soup. To wasting time on Pinterest and to sharing my creative love with others who also love to create.
And when all else fails….there is always Instagram. I wish you all a very full week saturated in those things which give you life, articulation and a confidence in who you are.
I am the wife of a very talented musician who takes me around the world in pursuit of excellence. Mama to Jakob, Audrey and Ella, who just happens to have Down Syndrome.
And an aspiring disciple of Jesus, defender of the oppressed, writer, graphic designer and photographer.
I write and speak on navigating through the fog of life…you know, when things don’t go exactly as planned and am fuelled by a passion to amplify the voices of those on the margins…
oh, and coffee…lots of coffee.
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