Friday, November 27, 2020

Grateful

 Honestly, I am grateful for this time. 

                                                                        La Belle Farm, Summer 2020

Yes, yes.  I am sad too, and scared and confused.  I am worried.  And I know that the next "shoe" or "shoes" are about to drop.  Things will get worse before they get better.

But still, forgive me for saying this--but I am grateful for a year of quiet.  I am grateful for year where I can stay home and write my novel and paint my pictures.  I am grateful for a year of dancing with friends in my Zoom classes.  I am grateful for teaching a Zoom writing workshop with the Spencertown Academy Arts Center.

I am grateful for my father and modern communications.  I am grateful for to all my friends and family who have been patient with me during this time when we cannot get together.  I am grateful to the Coco Sketchers for keeping me in the loop and sharing work, even when I cannot be there.

I am grateful to the front line workers.  I am grateful to the people who are feeding America.  I am grateful for the kindness of neighbors.  I am grateful to my community--those who are near me and those who are far away.  In fact, some of my community is in France and they have kept in touch, even though this is a time when we are closing borders, closing doors, and closing shop.

Because...we are not closing down our hearts!

This time will pass, and when the doors open again, we will hug and laugh and kiss and hug and laugh and kiss some more.  We will clink our glasses of champagne and toast a new beginning.  We will have a renewed sense of how very fortunate we are to be in this world.

First, we have to get through this winter.  And, we will.

But let's not just "get through" it.  Let's make it a time we will always remember.  Let's make art of it!

Art shines light on the darkness.  It offers clarity to the chaos.  It gives us a reason to go on.  And when it's all over, it is this art that will bring a radiance and beauty to everything that has happened.   

So, that's your creative assignment for this week.  Take note of the details of this time.  Write or paint or photograph them.  It's the small seemingly insignificant details--the handwritten sign on the boarded up store.  It's the quirky things that happen that have nothing to do with Covid--how the lights in only certain areas of the house have stopped working or how you suddenly crave Peanut M&M's or how you cannot decide whether your hair going completely gray and getting very long makes you look chic or just blame mad.  Take note of your dreams during this time.  What is it that you crave the most?  What are your post-Covid fantasies?  how will you be different one year from today?  And write down and the times and conversations.  All this will be worthwhile.  Trust me.

Think of these little details as the memories you carry in your basket.  You are Hansel.  You are Gretel.  You are lost in the forest of a Pandemic.  How will you find your way out of this.  How?  Through your own imagination, my friend.  

And your creative prompt of the week is the word "Breadcrumbs."

Have fun, and please know I am grateful for your friendship.

Love,

Jamie

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