30 Days of Gratitude - Day 2

Today's gratitude prompt was

GOVERNING PRINCIPLES

Since I already wrote a bit about that yesterday, deciding to take it in my own direction. Today, and everyday, I am grateful for art. I am grateful that my toddler , Marlee, can say "colorrrrr" and find crayons and that my preschool-age daughter, Lucy, can say "Mom, let's go stamp!" As they say at CRESENDOh, art saves. Art saved me, and I hope one day, when my kids feel sad, or like they need an outlet, art will save them too.

I am grateful that I regained my passion, that I am committed to growing and nurturing my talents, and taking leaps I have been afraid to for so long.

I won't allow self-doubt to plague my efforts any longer. I will be what I want to be, and move forward in the direction I want to go. There's a lovely quote from Melody Ross I'll leave at the end of this post because it pretty much describes everything I have realized the past 6 months. She says it more beautifully than I ever could:

Dear Beautiful Girl,

That thing that's been lingering on your mind, burning in your heart.....that scary beautiful thing that you can't get out of your whole soul because it wants to be heard and acted upon........guess what lovely? It's not going to go away.

It's not going to go away because it's the deepest wisdom and authenticity of you trying to get you on exactly the right track. It is your truth.

What would a leap of faith look like? What is it that is holding you back? Would it be so bad just to take that first step? Would it be so bad to stop and really honor yourself and at least listen to that longing?

This is where your choices will make every difference in the world. This is where the fork in the road just might lead to the place you've been praying to be.

Get quiet, dear friend.......listen closely....then be brave when you know exactly what to do next but can't quite get the courage to do it. Be brave and go for it, then do it again. Live THAT ONE PRECIOUS LIFE OF YOURS....really really live it.

It is time.
xoxo