Doing What I Love

         

I had a great moment the other day. A "sing from the mountain top" sort of moment. A happy tear jerking, good lump in the throat feeling sort of moment. 

I opened a piece of mail . . . and inside was my very first . . . ever . . . pay check - for teaching art.

For real. The dollar amount doesn't matter . . . because truth be told, I have opened pay checks for lots more dollars during this life of mine. 

But this one was different. Completely. It was a pay check . . . for doing something that I love. And it was like a dream. 

I held it up to Phil Guy and said, "Look . . . Look . . . I got paid. For teaching art. I got paid. Real money!" And his smile showed that he got it - he completely understood. 

I could have stared at that check for hours, and I am certain I stared at it longer than most. But it stood for so much more to me than the money involved. It stood for years of trying to find my passion - years of discovering who I was and who I wanted to be - years of a supportive husband who picked me up on more occasions than I could ever remember - years of taking chances (even the small ones). And finally . . . finally  . . . it stood for believing that I actually have something to share with the world, and actually being able to do just that. 

Here is a photo of the ladies from my very first class. Most have come with little (or no) mixed media experience. They have embraced the process, learned new techniques, accepted most of my silly giddiness, and have been a wonderful group to play art with. (Even though one of them wanted to hold one of my paintings, instead of her own. We'll let her slide this time!)

        

I am pretty sure they have no idea how much they have meant to me, and how they will forever be a part of the story and this journey that I am on. And while I am not certain where I'll be in a few years . . . . for now, the sky is the limit. One year ago, if someone would have told me what I'd be doing right now . . . I never would have believed them. I would have thought it was impossible . . . for me, anyway. 

I remember reading once that "it always seems impossible until it is done."

I've got a lot of "impossible" on my mind lately. 

Impossible painting. Impossible writing. Impossible planning. Impossible dreaming. 

And the very best part of it all? 

It's all pretty possible. 

Doing What I Love. 

Peace, my friends.