The last two days were absolute blurs of teaching, meetings, Explorers starting up for Bethany, more volleyball for Erin and Nick recovering from being kicked in the jaw while trying to calm a student. I think that a few of the kids at the high school thought it was odd that their substitute teacher kept looking at ceiling tiles or floor tile patterns while they were writing an assignment down, but that’s OK. Have you ever noticed that, once you start being aware of something, you see it everywhere? That’s how I feel about finding images in random patterns now.
The next step was then to go looking for patterns in the great outdoors... and it helps that it has been absolutely beautiful weather here. I doubt I will get this urge in January when it is below zero!
Take a good look at Mother Nature and you will find an infinite variety of colours and textures, even in something as plain as rocks.
Flowers become studies in mystical, mandala-like patterns...
or studies in exotic shapes and rich colours.
We miss so much beauty all around us when we’re rushing to cross things off our to do lists. I feel as if I have suddenly given myself permission to slow down a tiny bit and really look at what magic and creativity exists around me already. How overloaded will my brain feel in another 50 weeks?
Just when I felt as if I was hitting sensory overload, I came home to discover a delightful surprise in my mailbox. My birthday present from my sister had finally made it through customs!
Look at how beautifully it was wrapped once I got it out of the padded envelope! Creativity, Elegance and Inspiration combined. My fingers were just itching to rip everything open in a frenzy, but the blogger in me remembered to take a photo!
Inside lay the coolest present...
Jennifer Lee is an artist who also does Life Coaching. Her ArtiZen website is full of incredibly cool stuff like this Unfolding Your Life Vision Kit. Oh my gosh! I can’t wait to start playing, but I am going to use this as a reward for geting all of my Toronto stuff done and ready to take with me to the CreativFestival in 21 days. At least that’s what I tell myself right now!
INHALE: When we rush through everything, we end up feeling more frazzled than fulfilled. The Amish saying captures this chaos perfectly when they say “The hurrier I get, the behinder I be!” In our instant messaging society, where we expect replies to e-mails and phone calls almost right away, taking things at a reasonable pace is becoming a lost Art. There are so many moments of wonder that can slip by if all we are doing is racing from one task or meeting to the next. Searching for Creativity in my life is already causing me to discover other truths. My SuperMom, Type A personality is having trouble adjusting to this need to give myself time, but the sense of peace and deeper energy that this Creative adventure seems to be releasing is well worth it. I am sleeping better and I’ve been more aware of my dreams during these past 13 days. Only 352 to go!
EXHALE: Take time to go for a walk with your digital camera and hunt for patterns or textures in your neighbourhood. Don’t worry if all you have is an urban jungle to explore, I shot some really cool pictures of wall textures in France. Just practice LOOKING through the viewfinder for a second or two before you push the button. These aren’t forever photos to tuck in an album, they are just meant for play. I am going to print my favourites out on photo paper at home and collage them into my black sketchbook, but you can leave them in their digital world if you want. Just get out there and go for a walk to see what you find. You’ll even get some exercise in the process!
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