Thursday, February 16, 2012

To Breathe or Not to Breathe?

Breathing....we all do it, right?  It keeps us alive. Without breathe, we would gasp, struggle and either very slowly, or probably more adequately, within a few minutes our very life would end.  That's the physical side of things.  But metaphorically....what gives you reason to breathe, what brings you life?  For me, my very relationship with Jesus Christ gives me reason to get out of bed in the morning....reason to love and live....reason to face the struggles that await us each day.  I can love my family, my friends, my "neighbor" because He first loved me (1 John 4:19); He taught me how to love.


But what other beauty that this life holds keeps us breathing (metaphorically speaking again)?  What other creative processes, interests and desires cause that heart to pound and brings a sense of fulfillment and satisfaction to our life?  I love to write....so even now as my fingers tap on the keyboard and my mind is at work, I feel a sense of excitement and fulfillment.  Ideas form in my mind that I want to put to paper.  Something comes alive.


I had lunch the other day with a very dear young woman whom I have mentored in the past.  She is like another daughter to me.  A daughter of the heart.  Her life currently consists of work and along with the help of her mother, keeping watch over her autistic brother.  She has wisely put aside an evening or two of relaxation and "just her" time.  She knows she must feed a part of her that will bring her "life" and keep her "breathing".  She loves her family and brother with all her heart....she knows this is a season of her life and she does it all as "unto the Lord".  But nourishing the creative side of her will bring her the breathe she also needs to be fully alive each day.  As I shared with her the joy the photography class I began this last week has brought me, she got excited and shared she also is pursuing a latent passion.  She begins cello lessons this next week!  Her face shone as she conveyed the joy of beginning something new and creative.  I was so excited for her!  


Depending on what phase of life you are currently in, our days can be filled with diapers, laundry, cleaning up messes....school, study.....9-5 employment, sometimes enjoyable, sometimes to pay the bills....people, meeting needs...and the list goes on.  All necessary, all vital, all a part of life.  In the midst of living, find time to breathe...stop and smell that rose...stop and enjoy that sunrise...or sunset....stop and drink in the beauty of that smiling child you just cleaned up after....and maybe you need to intentionally "breathe" a bit of creativity into your days.  A few moments in a day or night of the week to learn something new.....a class....a latent desire for creativity to express yourself.  Breathing new life into yourself so you can continue to breathe life into those you love each day.  Whether it be a cello, painting, cooking, writing, piano...learning something new keeps us alive.  It keeps us breathing....it feeds the creative side of us and we ALL have a creative side...whatever shape that takes.


My photography class is breathing creativity inside me....




Macro and close up photography inspire me :)




And I love photographing those I care about and think are beautiful :)


Sorry, you may be the recipient of some of my attempts at creativity... :)


This was a fun week....it lit a "fire" inside of me and I am determined to 
breathe fresh air :)


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