Everyday Art

"Every human is an artist. The dream of your life is to make beautiful art." ~Miguel Angel Ruiz

The definition of art can have several meanings to different people. That in itself tells me that art is in the "eye of the beholder" as the saying goes. It exists within our own mind and sometimes others share the same thought.

But what of those things that do not rise to the level of grand art? Does it make it less artistic?

Each day that I'm up and about, there are moments in which something wonderful or beautiful appear. It may be a cloud formation, the rustling of the winter brown leaves or the turn of a page by my wife. None of these last in time but they do last in my memory.

You have the ability each moment of your day to experience the beauty of life. Sometimes they are collections of art from history's greatest. Sometimes they are the fleeting moments that build a collection of memories.

Allow yourself to look past the ordinary and see the wonders of art in your everyday life. Capture the moments, the sounds and the smells that will fill your memory with a lifetime of good.

Let art be more than a painting on a wall. Let art be a part of your everyday life. Let your life be the art.

Hay for the Winter

"When the hay is removed and new growth appears and the grass from the hills is gathered in, the lambs will provide you with clothing, and the goats with the price of a field." ~Proverbs 27:25-26

Growing up we had a large alfalfa field which we used to help support the livestock on our farm. When in the early stages of bloom, the purple flowering buds and swaying in a light wind was a beautiful sight to see.

It was also at this point when cutting and baling was performed. We didn't use the old-time sickle but a more modern sickle bar. The sweet smell of freshly cut alfalfa was an amazing thing each time. And carefully we rowed and turned the hay as it dried before baling.

This process would go on through out the season, carefully keeping watch of our fields. The field produced over and over again each time it was cut. We could rely upon the hay field to meet our needs. But it took careful tending not to let the weeds take over and with adequate rainfall these fields kept our livestock well fed. In turn we remained well fed as is the cycle of life on the farm.

Your own life has a field of hay in some form or another. It could be your job, a relationship, or your family. You tend those fields and those fields will produce great things for your life, over and over again.

But notice I didn't say you always take the harvest from the fields of your life. You have to put work and effort into tending those fields. It takes you being engaged to keep the cycle turning.

The fields of your life will continually provide the needs in your life when you keep them well taken care of. The winters of your life will be filled with the harvest of great relationships, and hard work. Keep your eye upon those fields which will feed and warm you when winter comes.

Again the growing season will appear and the cycle of life continues.

One Small Step

"Sometimes its the numerous little steps we take that move us further then the giant leap." ~Joseph Primm

We grab hold of a vision or dream in our life. The power of it becomes so strong that we fly out the door in pursuit of it. We run to the highest hill and scan the horizon in search for a direction. As we turn, far off in the distance, maybe to the north or possibly to the west, there it is.

Even though it looks so small, it feels as though we could reach out and touch it. Or with one large leap, we could step over the valley and stand right next to it. It is in the valley where the hard work, the setbacks and those naysayers await you. It is those things we may want to skip past.

So we stand there trying to figure out a way to reach our goal in one giant step. We may even try to make a running jump from the hilltop only to find that gravity (also known as life) takes over. You tumble down the hillside and find yourself not at all where you wanted to be.

You dust yourself off at this point. But don't head back up the hill to reconsider or try jumping again. Dust yourself off and just start walking towards the dream.

Reaching the dream requires that you live the journey; living each step along the way. The good and the bad will happen but each can thrill you and also weigh upon you. Each and every small step adds to your life while placing you closer to the dream.

With many small steps you will eventually find yourself standing next to what was once a dream. You will be standing next to the reality of your vision. You will be standing high upon a new and higher hill. From there you will be able to look back across the valley to where you once were.

And standing high upon this new hill, you will scan the horizon for your next dream. And from that high hill you will be able to see that next dream.  And from that high hill you will begin putting those small steps together again.

Beyond the Headlights

"It's like driving a car at night. You never see further than your headlights, but you can make the whole trip that way." ~E. L. Doctorow

Any journey in life can begin with planning, lots of planning. You can make plans over and over again "til the cows come home." Yet, once out on the road to your dreams, there will be unknowns that arise in the distance. There is only so much or so far that you can see down the road of your life.

Not knowing what lay beyond the gate or around the next curve doesn't keep you from continuing. The boldness in your heart keeps you moving forward toward the destination. With each successive minute, mile or accomplishment, your confidence grows in strength.

It is almost a certainty that circumstance will create obstacles along the way. As you crest one hill, you may find the valley below flooded. It may delay your progress but do you sit along the shore waiting for the water to subside? Or do you build a boat and continue?

You may never see all that lay before you, but do not let that uncertainty keep you from moving forward. As Doctorow said, "You never see further than your headlights, but you can make the whole trip that way."

Yes you can. "Live the Journey", which is your life. Keep moving, keep dreaming and achieve it.