April 9, 2008 -
Spring is finally arriving. The daffodils have bloomed, all the trees & bushes are starting to bloom their beautiful vibrant colors again & as an artist who loves COLOR, I am so inspired. Spring is a time for renewal. It's got me thinking and I think I need to turn over a new leaf. I need to bring new life to cREaTe.
I am not super business-savvy or super competitive and as a result, I've sort of been at a stand-still. It has me wondering what I LOVE about cREaTe. I can't tell you exactly what I want to do, but I can certainly tell you what I don't want to do. I know I like to do things that make me feel happy, alive & have a purpose. I know I have felt no greater joy artistically speaking, than when I donate my time & talent to a greater good. I have donated many canvases to various organizations & causes. Well, "many canvases" for a girl whose business never really "took off" & couldn't really "afford" to donate. :) But that didn't matter. Saying "yes" & telling someone I valued their fight for something was worth any amount of money that I could've gotten paid. As a result, I've had some fleeting thoughts the past couple of months on tying in cREaTe more with a cause and more specifically one that is close to my heart.
A few weeks ago we took my oldest son Brett (6) to a Developmental Pediatrician for the first time. Since he was a baby, he's been developmentally behind... he's done Speech & Occupational Therapy for 4 years trying to help him catch up. We spent 2 hours with the Developmental Pediatrician... talking to him, answering his questions, watching him observe Brett. The doctor's diagnosis has him leaning towards Brett having "Atypical Autism". For years we never wanted a label. A label meant Brett had something wrong with him. To us as parents, there's not something wrong, just something different. Even my son's incredible Occupational Therapist (who I thought had all the answers) once called him "a little puzzle" and that he is. Everyday, piece by piece we learn more about him. We don't want others to think of him as having something wrong either. We'd rather help others to understand him more & let him be who he is as he tries to swim upstream in a downstream world.
I feel the past couple of months God has been whispering to me. I want a purpose for both myself & cREaTe. Making the world a happier, fairer place for my son (all 3 for that matter) is definitely a passion of mine and Art is something I can do. It'll take some time to figure out how I'm going to tie "Artistic & Autistic" together & help out one with the other. Of the "Who", "What", "When", "Where", "Why" & "How's", I only know the "Who" & "Why", but I'll continue to pursue this path until it gets me somewhere.
I am not super business-savvy or super competitive and as a result, I've sort of been at a stand-still. It has me wondering what I LOVE about cREaTe. I can't tell you exactly what I want to do, but I can certainly tell you what I don't want to do. I know I like to do things that make me feel happy, alive & have a purpose. I know I have felt no greater joy artistically speaking, than when I donate my time & talent to a greater good. I have donated many canvases to various organizations & causes. Well, "many canvases" for a girl whose business never really "took off" & couldn't really "afford" to donate. :) But that didn't matter. Saying "yes" & telling someone I valued their fight for something was worth any amount of money that I could've gotten paid. As a result, I've had some fleeting thoughts the past couple of months on tying in cREaTe more with a cause and more specifically one that is close to my heart.
A few weeks ago we took my oldest son Brett (6) to a Developmental Pediatrician for the first time. Since he was a baby, he's been developmentally behind... he's done Speech & Occupational Therapy for 4 years trying to help him catch up. We spent 2 hours with the Developmental Pediatrician... talking to him, answering his questions, watching him observe Brett. The doctor's diagnosis has him leaning towards Brett having "Atypical Autism". For years we never wanted a label. A label meant Brett had something wrong with him. To us as parents, there's not something wrong, just something different. Even my son's incredible Occupational Therapist (who I thought had all the answers) once called him "a little puzzle" and that he is. Everyday, piece by piece we learn more about him. We don't want others to think of him as having something wrong either. We'd rather help others to understand him more & let him be who he is as he tries to swim upstream in a downstream world.
I feel the past couple of months God has been whispering to me. I want a purpose for both myself & cREaTe. Making the world a happier, fairer place for my son (all 3 for that matter) is definitely a passion of mine and Art is something I can do. It'll take some time to figure out how I'm going to tie "Artistic & Autistic" together & help out one with the other. Of the "Who", "What", "When", "Where", "Why" & "How's", I only know the "Who" & "Why", but I'll continue to pursue this path until it gets me somewhere.
Two years ago, I was not ready to hit "publish". I wasn't ready to come out & say anything about Brett's autism so publicly. I wasn't ready to share my thoughts on giving to a cause because I didn't know how long it would take me to figure it all out and I didn't want to be held accountable - just yet. I just had the ideas & thoughts slowly forming & developing.
I would say 2 years ago, my little wings were just sprouting. But definitely not strong enough to fly. I can tell that 2 years later I am much stronger as a person in all facets: mothering, mothering Brett, advocating for him, and putting my time and talents towards an attempt to make things better. Thanks to my God given wings.
I now have the who, what, when, where, why & how. :) It's all here.
2 comments:
"A label meant Brett had something wrong with him. To us as parents, there's not something wrong, just something different."
I love this. And I'm still coming to terms that a label does not DEFINE who my son will be. And what he can accomplish. I am where you were 2 years ago, though my son is younger than yours was... taking it one day at a time.
awesome my friend......
xo
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