Sharing the Journey

"Cheaper Than Six Gallons of Paint"

I sat in the window and warmed my self with the sun’s rays as the wind pushed and pulled at the naked branches of the trees outside. Weather can put us in such a funny state of mind. I’m not sad but as I set here looking at the cold outside I find myself feeling kind of empty. We are a funny kind of creature and how we feel is often dictated by our surroundings. A bright green yard feeds my energy level to the top and I find it makes me happy. Lightning from a Spring storm stirs my adrenaline till I can’t sit still. Cloudy days I just want to snuggle and nap. Knowing this I can regulate my emotions somewhat and feed my creative side to help in the painting process. I’ve used this tool for years and I suspect most artist have done the same.

What makes us this way? How can our surroundings be so powerful that our emotions can be changed in an instant? Is it possible to make this process work for us in a way that we can change the world? Could we use it to avoid war or stop hate, feed the hungry or empty our prisons? I remember my Grandfather often saying "We didn’t know we were poor!" They didn’t have running water, raised a family of thirteen in a two bedroom house and didn’t know they were poor! How could this be? Well I remember a house full of happy people, Grandma was always moving things around and painting the walls with wild colors. She bought her paint at yard sales and I remember her proud explanation of "It was only $1.50 for six gallons!" Can you imagine how much some people could save by painting the house instead of paying a therapist. I know it’s not that easy but our surroundings do fuel our emotions. So until the green of Spring appears or the threat of war subsides lets use a smile to change our surroundings. It just might be the spark that stops the hate in someone’s mind or brings peace to a child’s troubled heart.
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Sharing the Journey
Cha’

*January 2003*
"Cheaper Than Six Gallons of Paint" I sat in the window and warmed my self with the sun’s rays as the wind pushed and pulled at the naked branches of the trees outside. Weather can put us in such a funny state of mind. I’m not sad but as I set here looking at the cold outside I find myself feeling kind of empty. We are a funny kind of creature and how we feel is often dictated by our surroundings. A bright green yard feeds my energy level to the top and I find it makes me happy. Lightning from a Spring storm stirs my adrenaline till I can’t sit still. Cloudy days I just want to snuggle and nap. Knowing this I can regulate my emotions somewhat and feed my creative side to help in the painting process. I’ve used this tool for years and I suspect most artist have done the same. What makes us this way? How can our surroundings be so powerful that our emotions can be changed in an instant? Is it possible to make this process work for us in a way that we can change the world? Could we use it to avoid war or stop hate, feed the hungry or empty our prisons? I remember my Grandfather often saying "We didn’t know we were poor!" They didn’t have running water, raised a family of thirteen in a two bedroom house and didn’t know they were poor! How could this be? Well I remember a house full of happy people, Grandma was always moving things around and painting the walls with wild colors. She bought her paint at yard sales and I remember her proud explanation of "It was only $1.50 for six gallons!" Can you imagine how much some people could save by painting the house instead of paying a therapist. I know it’s not that easy but our surroundings do fuel our emotions. So until the green of Spring appears or the threat of war subsides lets use a smile to change our surroundings. It just might be the spark that stops the hate in someone’s mind or brings peace to a child’s troubled heart. . Sharing the Journey Cha’