If you didn't know my story, you might think that I painted such sweet gnomes when my life was happy and perfect. But truth is, I painted these gnomes when I was going through some deepest valleys in life. In the past two years as I was trying to replant myself in nature by starting a little mountain farm, Mother Nature has tested me hard and fierce. I went through massive storms one after another. Some storms are internal, some are external. But they can all be trying.
I remember this one storm that hit our farm recently. The rain was pouring down. The forest was howling behind us. The farmhouse was shaking at the enormous thunders. Power and cell signal were both lost. I was alone by myself in the farmhouse. It was very scary. At that moment, there was nothing I could do to change what was happening around me.
I prayed for the safety of all beings on our little farm, from trees to chicks. Then I picked up my watercolor brush. There was something special that I reserved to paint at moments like this. Something I knew that would nourish my heart. Like the garden gnomes, the little magical beings. As I was moving my brush, slowly, the storm seemed to fade around me. Some calmness started to surround me. Something lovely started to appear on my paper.
It felt like a long time. Then all of the sudden, I heard the beep of my stove. The power was back. Some good folks braved the storm out there and restored the electricity. Then messages from my neighbors started to come in asking if I was all right or need anything. My heart was warm and I felt so grateful. The storm had passed.
We all go through storms in life, at some point. If you are going through a trying time right now and reading this, perhaps this could be a little sign whispering that you will reemerge into the light, because that is who you truly are. We didn’t embark this journey to suffer for the sake of suffering; we come here to grow in the capacity for Love.
So, let's get painting. Don’t worry if your art is good or not. Your art is a cup of hot tea for the heart. 💚
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