"The right time is anytime." William James
Reasons why I started this blog:
Reasons why I started this blog:
1. to create connections in a world that feels disconnected
2. to support our endeavors to carve out our place in the world
3. how this support benefits us all
4. to discover how art heals and how expressing oneself can be a lifesaver
5. to use social media as a vehicle for good
Let me take a step back for a moment:
It was a year ago that I did the minimal to get by. If it looked like I hadn’t showered or changed my clothes for days it was because I hadn’t. I couldn’t see the point. But I have kids so every morning had to get out of bed and get them to school. I knew that I just had to get through that hour with them and then I could shut the door and crawl back in bed. As I was forcing myself up every morning, and staring into my cup of coffee, I picked up my phone and began to take pictures of my coffee mug. Next morning I got up, made my coffee, took a picture. And again. And again. Each morning, I would prepare my coffee, search for a place in my house among the chaos of shoes, paperwork, dirty dishes and neglected housework, to capture a shot. It was the one thing I did without fail.
I began posting my daily shots on Instagram and then on Facebook. I started to feel something change within me. What sharing my pictures on social media made me realize is that people from all over the world share in similar rituals. Remembering that I was part of a larger community helped me feel grounded and alive. What started out as a daily routine to pull me out of a dark place, turned into one of my greatest joys.
There is so much more to my story that I’m sure people who have been touched by depression, either with a loved one or themselves, understand. Healing is not simple or straight forward. And I’m not going to say that I’m completely free of dark & stormy days, nor will I say that this simple routine alone helped me out of the pit. I did seek professional help. I did slowly begin to open up to my friends and family. Coffee picture, by coffee picture, I began to open the curtain and let the light in.
I’m not a mental health expert, or an art critic, or a professional anything. I’m a friend. A believer in the healing power of art and expression. A seeker of light in myself and in you.
What I know for sure is that art heals, art saves, art mends & art creates a conversation from where a community can be formed. So come along with me. Who knows where we will end up. But I’m certain that together we can discover what inspires us, what delivers us from dark places & moves us toward the light.
I look forward to sharing this journey with you!
Much love,
Betsy
4 comments:
Love your blog. Anxious to read more. Makes me want to start one of my own. How about, "What I learned today to get out of my head." LU, D
What a powerful post. Thank you so much!
The pictures are wonderful and they do bring out our imagination...
But your comments add a great new dimension, I love them!
Well done Betsy, I can see you on your morning stroll around the garden, searching for inspiration, and FINDING THE ONE AND ONLY SHOT FOR THE DAY... It's right. Lolo.ch
Thank you for sharing so much with us. I really enjoy reading the stories behind the mugs. Many, many years ago my mother was in a terrible place, so depressed all the time and doing next to nothing outside of the minimum. I was learning how to weave and had the opportunity to buy a floor loom at a great price. A store that had classes was selling off their looms. My mother wanted one too and wanted me to teach her to weave. I made the arrangements and taught her the basics, which is all I knew. She got totally into it, surpassed my skills in a hurry and even started selling scarves at craft markets. I couldn't believe it! Her whole attitude toward life changed and she came out of that dark place, at least most of the time. It was an amazing transformation. I had never heard of occupational therapy but now that I am an occupational therapist I would call this "The power of occupation".
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