it was Saturday...I was tired from the work week...it was raining...I was debating taking the bus and trekking across blocks in the industrial area of Seattle or driving and getting stuck in traffic and then nowhere to park...
And then I heard a reminder...
you show up...
its not words, but actions that make the difference...
I think back...
I'm in the 7th grade...I've signed up to help out at girl scout day camp but when the time comes, I don't feel like going...I'm reminded that I signed up and I'm being counted on to show up...and I go...and have a great experience helping younger girls and bonding with a childhood friend who later becomes my college roommate...
I'm sure several of you can recount experiences when it would have been easy to not make the effort...
to stay home...to not follow through...
But think of all that would have been missed...
I made the conscious effort to practice "showing up" ever since I decided to seriously pursue my art 15 years ago...that I would give support to other artists...lend a helping hand...offer encouragement...attend their art shows...because its not always about selling a piece of art...its about commitment...that what you do matters...
Its not easy to follow an artistic path...for most of us, its neither lucrative nor glamorous...but we are pushed and pulled to create by a force larger than ourselves...and to have the momentary occurrence of success, especially among our peers, gives us sustenance to face another day...
And really...if I hadn't been wandering around the back alleys of Seattle,
would I have such great pics of old buildings to play with...
