After having recently worked an overnight shift, I am still turned around night and day. I decided to make this blog one of random moments in time which occur to me as I sit here.
Now
It is 3:04am, December 31st. In the stillness of the early morning there is not much going on. I was cold so I put on my warm flannel pants, then ten minutes later I had to switch to cooler pants and put on the fan. It is the end of December in Colorado, and I am still wearing short sleeves and a light jacket most days.
It used to be I would get winter clothes and actually wear them in the winter. I lived in turtleneck, and sweater covered with a warm jacket all winter. Hats and gloves were a daily need. Although it still gets cold, it doesn’t stay cold all winter like it used to.
Teen Years
The above photo is from when I was a teenager. There was a shed in the back of our Black Forest home north of Colorado Springs where I would go and work on stained glass projects. In this picture I am making a gift for my brother.
Taking a stained glass class through a local shop that sold supplies was my sister’s idea. My mother, sister and I took the class. My sister and I kept going once the class ended. Although I don’t have the equipment and supplies right now, I have done stained glass off and on since high school. To permanently set up an art studio including stained glass in my own home has been a long term, as yet unrealized dream.
I hold dreams loosely these days. They are what they always have been and if some of them come true, I will be very happy. Some dreams might come true. Others might not. If I set my happiness on what hasn’t yet come to pass, it might be a long wait. I have learned it is important to live in the moment and enjoy life as it is right now.
Luckily things are pretty good right now, so it is easy to be happy about it.
Good Friend
On the right is my friend Denielle to whom I dedicated Eva’s Journey. I was thrown a birthday party and a few cherished friends were there in Santa Cruz, California including Denielle.
On the left is another moment. I was in Hawaii and completed this painting shortly after I learned Denielle had taken her life. That is all I have to say about that. As you can imagine there are some highly charged grief emotions there.
Honor to my friend Denielle.
Salt Lake City
I was editting Eva’s Journey just before publishing it. This was a very joyful moment.
Lastly, I would add images of my family, because I have had many wonderful moments with them. They might read posts like this and wonder why I never talk about or post pictures of them even though they are in my life and the omission (at least to me) is glaring.
The reason is, they asked me not to, and I am honoring their request. Although it caused cognitive dissonance at first, I have grown used to it now. It is my commitment to myself to speak my truth and speak honestly about my life in my writing. It is also my commitment to honor and respect the lives and wishes of my friends and family.
Grateful for life and for all in it.