Painting Spring

A sunny Friday before Christmas in Charleston, South Carolina. The wind blustered and howled down the crowded streets.The raw air from the waterfront forced us to don scarves and gloves. As we were propelled along the streets , I continued to people watch. On the curb, more into traffic than not, this painter stood silently engrossed in his work. I couldn’t resist looking over his shoulder and then across the street to his view. While the trees were bare, his trees were full of life and color. I enjoyed his purposeful approach, focused on his task and oblivious to those that fanned out around him. There were so many parts of his story that I’d never know. Was the painting a gift that he ached to finish before the holiday? Did he only have a small, precious bit of free time to do what he loved? Were the spring leaves a sign of better days to come? I left thinking how lucky he was to be able to focus and follow through on a creative task, and how lucky I was to feel this breath of spring.

The Beauty of Closed Doors

As I wandered through Charleston ,the architecture called loudly in every direction. Doors , windows and structural details all begged to be noticed. There was so much to appreciate that you might be wondering why I chose these photos for my post. Their color and simplicity are part of the reason. While not the most elaborate or unusual, they tell a story. Lately, I’ve been reading about how we have too many choices and that many of us find it difficult to make a decision or to be satisfied with the choices we do make. It’s as if we’re afraid that we will miss out on an  opportunity for something better. Having choice is part of freedom, and while I wouldn’t want to surrender having options, sometimes the choices outnumber our needs. For me, if I’m shopping and I don’t find what I’m looking for, I’ll continue to look if I have a strong idea of what I want. I might not want to settle, but I can make a decision as to whether I should make a choice or wait for the perfect item to materialize. For more important decisions, after researching and soul-searching, you need to turn the handle confidently and take steps forward. It’s hard  for me to imagine  someone feeling like they settled for second best because they think something better is always waiting around the corner.The amount of disappointment and second-guessing that might create is heart-breaking.It seems so much more important to live in the present and not in What If. Having a few closed doors, especially if they wear a pretty shade of blue or enhance our surroundings gives us the opportunity to move on and find the most important pieces for our lives.We need to trust ourselves to listen to that quiet voice inside.