Gratitude

Sometimes, no news is good news.

I had my cast removed yesterday and my wrist was x-rayed… and I was sent home. No one has called me back, so I guess that means I am OK! It seems this was to be a short lesson. I am sore and very wary of icy patches, but that should only serve to keep me in the studio where I belong – happily!

I took from this experience a better sense of how I paint and an appreciation for things I normally took for granted. I will not abandon my left hand experiments – there were some interesting revelations in the attempt – but at least now I have a choice. I am grateful that this was very temporary and if nothing else, it has reminded me to be grateful. Everything we do is a gift. Life deserves gratitude. It is so unique – and even when it seems like it is not what we would hope, changing our perspective can help us to see the greatness in the smaller things.

The gift in this, is that I have discovered secrets locked in my other hand. Secrets that hold a quietude and serenity that my right hand has little patience for. Unlike a sculptor, a painter most often only requires the use of one hand. I think we painters might be missing out on a different sensuality openly offered to the one who works with both hands. Much of the skill that lies within a craftsman, or an artist, is in his hands and like heads, two can be better than one.

Now back to work….. with gratitude! 🙂