Lent

Lent, a time for giving up and maybe taking up.

Many people give things up for Lent - it is a time of fasting, after all.

But it could also be a good time to take up new things.

Fast v. strong

Fast v. strong growth.

When I stamped the leaves on this page I drew in stems to take them all the way to the bottom of the page. The tall, spindly set of leaves on the left made me think of fast growth. The plant puts on lots of height, but all the energy has gone into length not strength. Although we want to grow fast - and let's face it, the world has grown to like 'fast' - it can be a whole lot better to take things slowly and grow strong instead. Strength stands us in good stead when the storms come because energy has gone into roots and a strong core.

Distance

Get a little distance to see the lie of the land.

This page looked like an aerial view of a landscape to me. There are birds, rivers, hills. It's only with the distance that you can see how everything fits together. To get some perspective it can be necessary to step back from a situation.

(Someone on Instagram saw a face in this page, so it just goes to show that we don't always see the same thing in art or in situations.)

Hibernation

Hibernation.

That time where you gather your resources for a new spurt of growth. It can feel like nothing is going on, but that is not the case.

Lots of my pages at the moment seem to be talking about winter. It's a time where not much growth is generally seen. In fact, from the outside it looks dormant or even dead. But look closely and the signs of impending new growth are there - tiny buds waiting within their protective covers that will burst forth in a froth of green given a little warmth and encouragement.

Spring requires a lot of energy. Enjoy the winter rest - it is a time of preparation.

Scorched earth

Sometimes scorched earth is necessary for new life.

This page reminded my daughter of bush-fires. That set me thinking about how some of the plants need that high temperature, the scorching, for their seeds to germinate. I've seen the aftermath of bush-fires and it is amazing how fast green shoots sprout back up and new life pushes through.

There can be situations where we need that scorched earth type of cleansing for something new to grow in us. It's uncomfortable but necessary.

Endure

Sometimes all you can do is endure.

Sometimes you just have to get through, like a deciduous tree in the winter. Though the storms batter, the cold chills, the ground freezes, it endures until the conditions are more favourable, and then it blossoms again.

Demeanour

You can't control your situation but you can control your demeanour.

If you're heading over a waterfall, there's nothing you can do to stop it, but you don't have to scream and thrash all the way down. Gravity will do its thing and you'll have a wet landing and feel like you're drowning for a while, but if you don't panic, you'll bob back up to the surface and breathe again.

Who not do

Who not do.

I read this phrase in a blog post recently and it has stayed with me. With 'authentic' being my word for the year, 'who not do' speaks volumes. If I am being the person I am supposed to be, doing the right things should follow.

Who I am is more important than what I do. After all, I am a human BEing not a human DOing. Pruning away those things that are not vital brings me closer to the authentic me.

Out of control

Even things that are useful can be destructive when they are out of control.

This page made me think of a river of fire. Having lived in Australia I have seen the destructive power of bushfires. When fire is under control it can be useful. A candle flame gives us light.  A fire built in a hearth warms the house. When it is out of control it can swiftly destroy, taking lives and livelihoods.

We have to watch our habits/desires carefully. In small doses something that is good - for example, exercise - can become destructive if allowed to take over your life.

Journal flip-through

I've just finished another art journal. This one ran from Sept 2019 to the end of Jan 2020. Here are all the pages in order. As usual, I like a few, most are okay, and some I really dislike, but they represent my life and thoughts for the last few months.