“It takes a person who believes, a person who believes in doing things for himself, or herself and in doing so lifts others up-a man or woman who knows how to make room for success by breaking down the fears and building up the faith.”
“In whatever time___at any age we have so much to learn.___We fear that we can be lonely in a crowd___that life is something in which we must continue to grow___that true friends are very precious___that peace is dear and hope is a necessity.
We must learn to be temperate___to find joy in the simplest things___that sometimes we have to break down our old ways in order to build better ones___that we must stop crying with the world___and start laughing at our problems____
We have to learn how to rise above petty things___rise above jealousies and envies and greed___and build instead generosity, loving-kindness, and gentleness___ We must learn to break away from the thought of constant guilt___and learn to forgive ourselves___and we must brush away timidity, and learn to forget ourselves.___
We must break habits that have formed gradually____and do not correspond with our better selves____habits such as the seemingly harmless exchange of information___that but is idle gossip.___
Life, then is a constant breaking down and building up again___something we dare not cease to do___and the greatest help to us in doing this is to pray___with it we have all the help we need___ without it____no one wants to know that lesson.” Joyce Hifler, To Everything, There Is A Season.
One of the things that drives me since Thomas died is how to live the rest of my life in a positive and good way. How to pick up and begin building my own dream in new ways. I felt I had to get past a certain point regarding Tom’s death; understanding how to live without him as my partner. The journey has been to understand me I want to be without him. It has helped greatly to examine our relationship. Tom supported my independence and anything I wanted to do. He was there cheering me on. He was my sounding board. We wear so many hats in life, put on to help one another. If I had a writing project, he was there to read what I wrote and I could bounce ideas off him. He was this walking encyclopedia____. We talked about so many things. We talked a lot about what it is to be human beings, male and female.
Untangling from Tom means there is no one to check my work, to see if I am on track or if I have taken some writing too far. My second set of eyes, when I just need to step back and let it rest and come back to it. He would suggest this as well.
There is no one in the studio to run ideas with. No one to tell you, that’s cool! Or who knows something you want to know about. Thomas was a wonderful printmaker, and now I might just have to dig out books or youtube it to make sure of what I need to know. LOL.
I will be ok with all of it is the bottom line. I just need to be my own cheering section! An do the things I need to do. Make a to-do list and pick things off one at a time!
I am finally feeling like my old self working. Maybe I should say new self. Writing helps a lot.
I want to thank you for reading my thoughts, may you enjoy Joyce Hiflers pearls of wisdom. I find something always seems applicable.
Anisette Studios & Shibui Fine Arts 