Magic, art, wonder

I've been feeling really overextended, overwhelmed, exhausted by so much lately - by the same things that plague everyone in these uncertain times. And I've realized that so much of that can be so soul-crushing, spark-extinguishing.

A couple weeks ago I took a step back and made something tangible with my hands, not with a computer. I used this tutorial to make these beautiful crepe paper flowers - with no purpose really in mind. It wasn't for a client, it wasn't for our wedding, it wasn't for my portfolio, or even this blog. It was just for me, for the sake of making something nice.

Of course, "normal" life resumed and I felt quickly dried, defeated, and depressed again.

I'm changing this in my life. Normal should not be worrying my life away about the economy, about jobs, about being good enough, about future hypothetical problems, or about troubles that will always be larger than myself - about deaths, about heartbreaks, about loss.

Normal will be creating magic, art, and wonder with my life. Normal will be creating an inspirational environment, painting our bedroom and having fresh flowers around, making crepe paper flowers just because. Normal will be little pleasures, simple pleasures, mending and making do, DIY-ing with what you have, reading fiction, making meals with Ryan. On a grander scale, normal will be seeing all the possibilities and making them reality, without fear or reservations. Normal will be seeing everything in our lives moving to something greater, even if it doesn't look like it at first.

Just some thoughts for Monday, for a new season.