Tuesday, March 13, 2012

hi everyone.

Let me start by saying THANK YOU to all of you
for your heartfelt comments during the past few weeks.

It amazes me that we can make so many connections
so far across the world
and develop such meaningful friendships
through words on a wire.

I've been a little more creative this week
although there's nothing much to share yet but this.


A little hard to read with text flowing everywhere... 

Note to self: learn how to make your writing more legible. :-)

I debated whether i should share or not
because i know how useful life coaches can be
and i would never want to take away
from those who devote their lives to helping others.

I just sometimes question
how dependent we've become on external forces
when we really have all we need
right here, right now.


I guess a good life coach has the ability
to help us see what we have.

To shed light
where there is darkness.

Since i don't have much art to share from this past week,
I'll share something i did many moons ago.

This is my grandmother. Eva Doiron.
My mothers' mother. She died years ago.

It's an illustration drawn on black cardboard
with white and grey pencil crayons,
so rather than draw the shadows as we normally do on white paper,
I'm drawing the light on dark paper.

It's a larger format - something like 2 x 3 feet.

A tribute to Mémére Doiron,
and others like her.


My grandmother had 13 children,
so needless to say she washed a lot of clothes
and prepared a lot of meals.

I believe so many women of past generations
weren't given the credit they deserved.

Most of us would fall apart with such a schedule
within about a week.

At least i would.


She loved to write, although she had little (if any) education,
and while i lived in Western Canada,
and she lived in Eastern Canada,
we corresponded by letter writing.

I framed these few words years ago as a keepsake,
photocopied from one of her letters to me.

It reads:
"Goodbye, from your grandmother
who will never forget you."


Isn't this special?
She had lovely handwriting...

There's something about handwriting to me
that makes this more precious than gold.

Writing is such an art form.

So there you have it.
My 2 cents worth. :-)

Thank you all again for the words of encouragement.
I'll be back.

xoxo

19 comments:

  1. Love your 2 cents. The journal page was easy for me to read and rang true. I think coaches have there place sure and can be very helpful in sorting this out that need sorting. Lately, though I feel like everywhere I look I see life coaches. Your grandmother's portrait is lovely and her handwriting framed is crazy special. xoxo

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  2. Honestly, I have always worried about people who look outside of themselves for answers and guidance...ever since I can remember. It is one think to get ideas or feedback or a little light from someone else, but that internal path you walk is yours and yours alone. When it comes down to it, your truth is individual and personal. Blindly following what someone else says you should do and think is like giving your power away. Obviously, I love-love-love your wonderful page!

    And your drawing of your grandmother and how you have honored her tender words...priceless. Absolutely priceless! :)

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  3. Pauline ~ this is such a wonderful post ~ and love the painting you did of your grand-mere ~ Tres bien ~ namaste, Carol ^_^

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  4. I just love this post. It is so heartfelt and you can hear the love in your words. Thank you for sharing with us!

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  5. Your portrait of your grandmother is so sweet -- what a special woman! I love how you saved her writing. I found some notebooks that my father wrote in during WW2 and they are very precious to me -- there IS something about handwriting that represents the person for us. I like your flowing text -- so colorful. We do need to sail our own ships, but sometimes we need another person to show us how to go in the direction that we want. Have a creative week!

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  6. Your lettering looks great! And that drawing of your grandmother is fabulous--although I'm still wrapping my head around the idea of drawing light instead of shadow. Really nice :)

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  7. have to say that the whole life coaching thing has always reduced me to fits of giggles... I am hopeless at any of those sort of find your inner goddess type things... and I know a lot of people love it but I think I am just too pragmatic and any sort of course or anything like that always brings out my desire to be naughty... juvenile I know, but maybe at the end of the day I am just a shallow pool baby... lovely framed words and glad you are on your way back...xx

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  8. one translation of "guru" is one who leads from the darkness to the light... even a guru can only cast a light on the path; it is up to us to walk it and integrate the teachings life offers along the way. xoxo

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  9. Your drawing is absolutely wonderful. Thank you for sharing some of your grandmother with us. I love the idea of framing her loving words to you. Take good care of yourself. xx

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  10. Ahhh...to see her words on paper...sure brought a smile to my face! Thank you so much for sharing these beautiful memories Pauline!
    xoxo

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  11. Your text was no problem to read – an inspiring piece. I agree that a valuable life coach or teacher in our lives will have the capacity to help us find our own inner strength and answers. Allowing us to take on board what resonates with us and leave behind what does not, so that we discover our own unique truth.
    My Nana passed away this week so it really brought tears to my eyes seeing your love, respect and beautiful memories of your grandmother. And framing her handwriting is such a beautiful idea. Just lovely!

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  12. This is so beautiful, your story... sharing your Grandmother with us all! ((hugs))
    Such a thoughtful way to save a treasured memory, love this idea.
    I agree, handwriting is more precious than gold. I love letter or card that have handwritten words.
    It seems to have become a lost art...
    I try my best to send out cards and letter as much as possible, makes it personal.

    Your illustration is fantastic! Such bold and cheerful colors, and the lettering is great; so playful. Nice work, Pauline.

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  13. Thank you all so much for the fuzzy comments... :-)
    Tracey, i love you BECAUSE you are juvenile!! Shallow pool baby.... LOL... xoxo
    Carol - I'm impressed... (parlez-vous français?)
    Tamoonstone : sorry for your loss... :-(
    April, let's exchange addresses so we can send each other handwritten cards!!xoxo

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  14. A great, loving way to remember your grandmother. Very nice of you to share it with us. Brings to mind my own grandma and great grandmother.
    I agree 'handwritten' is fast on its way to extinction. As a teacher, I find my students not bothered about spelling and grammar because 'spell check or grammar check' will take care of it! I liked the way your writing flows , like a river. Curiously, I just finished doing a note to myself. Hm...same wavelength?

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  15. The page is inspiring, and I wouldn't worry too much about the words not flowing in one straight line, it means we have to stop and think about the message - never a bad thing :)

    x

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  16. I LOVE LOVE LOVE this post! I too have a memere with barely any education. What an AMAZING idea to frame her words by her hand. This brings tears to my eyes and reminds me just how lucky I am to still have her in my life. Thank-you Pauline... About life coaches...I believe we already have EVERYTHING we need inside of us but sometimes we need a kick in the ass... xo

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  17. I love this, Pauline, and I love your bodaciousness to just put it out there.

    As I wandered down to comment I enJOYed others' thoughts, feeling like I was on a great lawn listening to music and all of you were there, too. This might make no sense at all, but this is what happens sometimes when responding.

    I spent much of 2011 thinking that MY ANSWERS were BEing held in trust by someone. It was wrongthinking at its most glorious... I feel refreshed and gratified to read your words and thoughtsandfeelings BEcause I think this way, too.

    I suppose I don't think it of others so much. But I DO think it a sad thing we've sort of fallen into this someone-knows-me-better-than-I-know-me mind and heart setting.

    Thank you for always bringing such clarifying thoughts to all that you share in YOUR comments. I have been a bit shy and thinking everyone already knows everyone and is DOing all these things that I don't know anything about and then each place I go I see you and I "know" you, BEcause you have been so thoughty and responded to my CED stuff...

    So, Now I am done yammering and nearing all the way through this week's goodness. I have tried each day to spend a little time looking and reading and clicking on things. It is such a rich and wondrous treasure this sharing.

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  18. Yes this is so very Special.. you're energy comes through everything... and so prolific.. the quality of your work is consistent as well.. amazing talent..
    beautiful post...

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  19. Oh my gosh, I just started to cry when I saw the framed words your grandmother wrote. I LOVE IT! Now right there is a life coach:)) no?

    i have my grandmothers' letters and I want to do that right now! I thank you for this post and this wonderful idea.

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