Days 35 and 36 of 100

I experienced something interesting Sunday, one of those "clear in hindsight but not before" things. I had thought I was prepared, prayerfully, for the day. Church went well. Then my daughter (fellow writer and artist plus best-daughter-in-the-world) suggested a "get out of town" trip--up our spectaculary beautiful canyon and creek. We were both more than ready to leave behind the emotional complexities of our lives and just have some time of beauty. I packed reading and writing stuff, healthy snacks, and a bag of art supplies. After painting within a few feet of the Pacific ocean a week ago, I was eager to play with paints creekside.

Well, suffice it to say that things did NOT go as either of us had envisioned. In a very tiny nutshell, some of the problems we were each trying to let go of for the day, followed us up there. Literally. Yes, we walked some. Took some photos. But a few of those delicious snacks were consumed next to a not-at-all-scenic portapotty. (That's another story.) And absolutely NO regenerative reading or painting was accomplished.

We both finally were able to laugh, together, at the absurdities. Later, in HER 100 for the day, Amanda was able to hang on to that laughter--check it out at Day 35--http://persistentgreen.blogspot.com/.

I, on the other hand, couldn't shake the gritchy twitchiness and ended up going to bed without doing my painting for the day. Sort of a "so there. I don't have to paint if I don't want to and you can't make me." Yeah, I know. Pretty juvenile. And in Monday's clearer light, I realized that I had only hurt myself. Making myself paint the night before might very well have banished some, if not all, of the hobgoblins.

So, that was my lesson for the day.

And Monday's fresh start had me, quite literally,

scratch out "yesterday" and then paint over it with the day's fresh joy and resolve.

Then, yesterday's 100 was simple and happy.

Throughout the day I just played, once again, with shapes and color combinations.

I couldn't post either painting until this morning, because we had yet another stunning rain/hail/thunder/lightning storm last evening and all electronics were unplugged.

Hopefully now, I have firmly rooted in thought and heart that if a day goes wonky on me, do NOT "keep myself" from painting . . . rather, PAINT EVEN MORE. It helps. It heals.