running on empty...

When we have passed a certain age,

the soul of the child we were

and the souls of the dead from whom we have sprung

come to lavish on us their riches and their spells...

- Marcel Proust (In search of lost time)

hello friends.

It's been a while. :-)

I've been feeling the need to disconnect lately,

so i am giving myself the time i need

to get off the ride now and then.

Too many people out there are running on empty.

A good friend recently told me

that many of us out there are feeling this need lately,

that there is a shift of energy in the world.

Who knows.

I only know that when i feel this way,
i honor the feeling and give myself what i need.

Too many of us don't give ourselves the time we need
because we feel it's lazy,
or because we're told it's selfish,
or because we believe that needing a time out
means we're weak...
unable to deal with life's difficulties.

And for some of us with different reasons,
time to ourselves is a luxury we can't afford.

I believe my "time outs" now and then

are what allow me to deal with life's difficulties

and make sense of the world.

Although many things lately still have me scratching my head...

Educated, intelligent men killing in the name of religion.

Families disowning one another.

The Boston Marathon bombing (and any other bombing happening out there)

Honor killings. (there is nothing honorable about killing. Anyone. Ever.)

CEO's with outrageous salaries. 

Televangelists = ditto.

Science and religion still arguing over who's right.

Teachers with ridiculously low salaries.

Baby pageants. Actually, all pageants. 

Why so many people are filled with such hatred.

Why so many people are still so insecure about themselves.

People who try to keep up with the Jones'...

(living a life way above their needs so they can say they've been to Hawaii too!)

...and most reality shows. ;-)

Oh, and TLC.

I didn't get the memo that said The Learning Channel

would now become the Mentally Ill Channel.

Just a few of the things that irritate the hell outa me.

Thank you for reading my rant. :-)

Sometimes, it's just hard to be in the world.

Especially if you are sensitive.

(yup, that would be me...)

There's been very little art for me these days.

I always find those dry periods a little rough -

those days where i don't feel much like being near my art table.

But i also know that these breaks are necessary for me. 

I almost always go in waves...

i've made art a habit, just like my morning walks

so whenever i go a few days without creating something

i definitely feel out of sorts - like something is missing.

So when i finally sit myself at the art table again
like last night (for the first night in many)...
my heart literally breathes a sigh of relief
and i'm home again. :-)

Thanks for being here with me.
xox

it's an Alanis Morissette kinda day today...