For me, creativity is one big circle. Sometimes I get inspired by words and those words become poems or stories, and other times I get inspired by images which include words. That’s sort of what happened with this painting, inspired by a poem I wrote. Being with people who are positive and filled with light helps you see the sun, the possibilities, all the more. People need to be real, not fake happy, but have a genuine outlook that is solid and doesn’t waiver.
I feel I’ve always had a certain kind of spirit like that, even when life gets really hard. Even when it was so miserable for me as a kid or when I struggled as a young woman. There are times that I would be very unhappy as I worked my way through whatever it was I needed to get through, and yet… there was also a joy in my spirit that didn’t change. Does that sound contradictory? Confusing? Maybe it is. I don’t always understand it myself.
There are times when I’m sad and things seem so dark and yet because I have God I cling to him so tightly because I know that is the one thing I can always count on. I can trust the dark times because I know there must be a point to it. And when I’m unhappy, I can tell him! People think you can’t get real with God and that’s just not true. Bring your ugly to him. He can handle it. Trust me on that.
I would like to think that even in those dark places, when you are feeling low, you can be a light for someone else. And if your joy shows on the outside? With a genuine smile that encourages others to do the same? Even better.
This print is available in my Etsy store and the poem is from my book My Soul Is From a Different Place.
