Ripples

Never think your contribution isn't

 good enough,

big enough,

far-reaching enough,

because you never know how far your ripples may reach.

~ Amanda Fall

I saw this quote on Persistent Green yesterday and knew immediately I wanted to attempt painting it.  I think most people wonder from time to time if what they are doing makes a difference, if it is worthwhile and should be continued.  We just don't seem to take enough time validating each other and expressing gratitude for the effect other people have in our lives.  Can you imagine how a checker at the grocery store would feel if we took the time to say, "Hey, thanks for being smiley and bubbly!  It perked me up in the middle of an otherwise gloomy day."  

So, I have two remedies for this.  First, let's all commit to really taking the step to express those words of appreciation - even for what seems little and mundane.  Make it a rule that if something brings you joy, to take a moment to express gratitude for it... in a little or a big way.  And second,  have your cohort of support who can be there to regularly remind you that what you are doing is worthy and to be cherished.  Know who these people are and remind them what a difference they make in your own life.

Those little words, those little touches, may be exactly what a person needs.



Sunday Sketch: What's Your Orange Today?

As we become curators of our own contentment on the Simple Abundance path...
we learn to savor the small with a grateful heart.

~ Sarah Ban Breathnach

Many, many years ago I remember an interview on television of a man who was dying of cancer.  He said that knowing his time was limited, he woke up every morning and slowly, slowly savored his daily orange... savoring the wetness of the juice, the texture of the pulp, the sweetness of such a common thing. 

Is that not the duty of those who live with a grateful heart?  Complex beauty lies all around us.. dressed in simplicity.  What will you taste today?

For more sketches by other artists, please visit the home of Sunday Sketches here.

Healing Art Gallery: And the Award Goes to...

is

The challenge this week was to create your own personal "awards show" out of the memories from 2010.  Participants were asked to artistically interpret a list of the year's winners for the following categories:

Best Inspirational Person

Best Moment in Nature

Best Lesson Learned

Best Bellylaugh

Best Song /Movie/Book

Best Playful Moment

Best Self-Achievement

Best Outcome from a Difficult Experience

Best Meal

Best Moment of Kindness Witnessed

It's so easy to focus on the difficult, and negative moments from the year.  This was such a fun way to look at some of the great things!  I'm really excited to show you these pieces, excited to have a few new mediums thrown in the mix.  I hope you'll take the time to jot a kind comment to our participants this week!

The best parts of my 2010

View more presentations from magiccat28.

~Amanda

~zootalors



~HiddenChild

Just a reminder that we will have our online movie club discussion of  "The Music Within" on January 11 at 6pm CST in the Education Room of the Friends in Healing chatroom on this blog.  You can read more about January movie club here.  And we will havr our online book club discussion of  She's Come Undone by Wally Lamb on January 25 at 1 pm CST time in the Education Room.  You can read more about January book club here.

Healing Art Challenge: And the Award Goes to...

It's time to create our own end of the year awards! It's easy to remember the things that saddened us and brought us down... let's find a way to focus on the good things as well!  Your challenge is to artistically interprest a list of  your year's winners for the following categories:

Best Inspirational Person

Best Moment in Nature

Best Lesson Learned

Best Bellylaugh

Best Song /Movie/Book

Best Playful Moment

Best Self-Achievement

Best Outcome from a Difficult Experience

Best Meal

Best Moment of Kindness Witnessed

You can paint, draw, write, photocollage, make a movie, anything your heart desires!  Please email your pieces to friendsinhealing@gmail.com by Thursday, January 6 at 12 pm CST time. Please note that entries that do not reflect the healing nature of the challenge or arrive late, might not be included.  Look for our gallery to go up on that day!