Category: creativity

New Joys, New Possibilities

by worrylessjourney, posted in acceptance, belief, choices, coping, creativity, decisions, healing, hope, ideas, life changes, perspective

There is no greater disaster in the spiritual life than to be immersed in unreality, for life is maintained and nourished in us by our vital relation with realities outside and above us.” C.S. Lewis.

Lewis is so right but not just about our spiritual life. Living in unreality is a disaster in every way. It touches us on every level. I impact our physical self. No matter our level of activity it is not the same as it was. Even how and what we eat has been impacted.

Our emotional/psychological life has been impacted. We can’t do the things we used to do. Our social interactions have been curtailed. Whether we are introverts or extroverts this is still a change. I am sure that everyone is feeling this distancing in some way. I used to be an extreme extrovert but in my latter years I am more in the middle. This change has affected me in many ways.  I miss the touch of others, the face to face exchange of ideas, the fun of simple conversation. I am lonely.

Our spiritual life has most assuredly been impacted. In some ways mine has expanded in that I spend more quiet time and intense connection with God that I have in quite a while. There are not so many distractions. I miss the camaraderie of our church community in addition to the services themselves.

Quotes about Possibilities (558 quotes)This time has created a different way of being. One that can either strengthen or break us. We have to maintain perspective. Though maybe months distant there will be a change. The view will be changed making us find a new path into the world as it emerges. We have the ability to blend into the new world around us and adapt and make it better.

Part of my nightly prayer from the New Zealand Prayer Book: Night Prayer says:

The night heralds the dawn.Let us look expectantly to a new day,new joys,new possibilities.

May we all do so with enthusiasm and creativity.

Fun signs

by worrylessjourney, posted in creativity, enjoy, fun!, funny, Laugh

I recently noticed a new message on the digital traffic sign near my home. It is a result of a social media competition launched in Georgia by the Georgia’s Department of Transportation. The idea is to get signs people will notice. The one near my house reads: “This is a sign you should buckle up.”  I love these and Georgia is already using them.

GDOT
GDOT

These are the winning entries:

General Safety:

  • First Place: IF YOU MISS YOUR EXIT ITS OKAY, WE MADE MORE UP AHEAD
  • Second Place: BETTER LATE THAN NEVER
  • Third Place (tie): DRIVE LIKE YOUR MOMMA IS WATCHIN’; YOU ARE ALLOWED TO USE TURN SIGNALS, WE CHECKED and DRIVE SAFELY OR WE CALL YOUR MOTHER

Distracted Driving:

  • First Place (tie): YOU LOOK GREAT BUT THE SELFIE CAN WAIT and LOOKING AT THE ROAD IS A GREAT WAY TO STAY ON IT
  • Second Place: NO ONE WANTS TO SEE TRAFFIC ON SNAPCHAT, BRENDA 
  • Third Place: POP QUIZ, WHAT IS THE SPEED LIMIT ON THIS ROAD?

Impaired Driving (many of the messages submitted were seasonal and can be used during the holidays):

  • First Place:DRIVING HALF LIT IS NOT VERY BRIGHT
  • Second Place: DON’T SPEND THE NEW YEAR IN JAIL, PARTY RESPONSIBLY
  • Third Place (tie): DON’T BE A TURKEY AND DRIVE BASTED, and THE PARTY SHOULD BE LIT NOT YOU, BRING IN THE NEW YEAR SAFE

Seatbelt:

  • First Place (tie): THIS IS A SIGN YOU SHOULD BUCKLE UP and IF YOU DON’T WEAR A SEATBELT, PLEASE BE AN ORGAN DONOR
  • Second Place: WEARING A SEATBELT MAKES YOU LOOK THINNER
  • Third Place (tie): HERE IS THE TEA SIS, WE CAN SEE YOU SO BUCKLE UP and SEATBELTS ARE IN, EVERYBODY IS WEARING THEM

Work Zone Safety:

  • First Place:LOOK LEFT, LOOK RIGHT, KEEP WORKERS IN SIGHT
  • Second Place: WORK ZONE, SLOW DOWN, WORKERS HAVE FAMILIES THAT WANT THEM AROUND
  • Third Place (tie): WORK ZONES MATTER SO DO THE PEOPLE IN THEM, and AVOID DESTRUCTION MIND THE CONSTRUCTION

Don’t listen to the nay-sayers

by worrylessjourney, posted in appreciate, beauty, choices, create, creativity, judging, learn, persistence, try, valued

Focused on process, our creative life rains a sense of adventure. Focused on product, the same creative life can feel foolish or barren. We inherit the obsession with product ….from our consumer-oriented society.                                                     Julia Cameron in The Artists Way

I have always wanted to paint or draw and create something. Anything I did looked terrible and so I didn’t keep on trying. I never realized that art is also a skill to be learned

and though I will not be Picasso I can make some things I enjoy. Others may not find them good but they please me.

bread1
A different kind of creativity

Don’t let our culture stop you from something you enjoy.

Be creative..especially for others

by worrylessjourney, posted in blessings, calm, centering, children, connections, coping, creativity, enjoy, friends, fun!, hands, joy, knitting and crocheting, Laughter, learn, remembering, share, work

Tuesday is a day that I always look forward to. On Tuesdays I meet with friends for knitting and conversation. We are a group who before starting this group did not know each other. We are all different. We are from different countries, different social groups. This makes the group inspiring and conversation is stimulating.

To add to it we are also being creative. One of the members is an amazing artist and does many pencil drawings for children to color. Each of us is creating something usually in yarn but not always. Most of the things we create are for others. We also offer free help teaching  to knitting for anyone who want to learn. This group is such a joy.

scarf
scarf for one of my granddaughters

I have been knitting since I was a child. It reminds me of the my wonderful mother and the many things she taught me. The motion of my hands and the creating of something both beautiful (I hope) and useful have a calming effect. Knitting can allow the brain to rest (if not too complicated)  and the mind to let go of stresses. Seeing the finished product brings joy. Now that I have children, grandchildren and great grandchildren it is fun to do things for them and for friends.