As I write this we are approaching a solid year of living, or not living as has been the tragedy for so many during a worldwide pandemic. I don’t know about you, but it has been a rude awakening to how much we take for granted from hanging with friends and family to breathing fresh air without layers of cloth sandwiched between. And with so much on hold there has been plenty of time to contemplate the big questions of our purpose in life and what it all means. I am grateful everyday to have the opportunity to explore these questions through the process of making art. Escaping into creative endeavors has been the single most important healing outlet throughout my life.
Why am I sharing this with you? Because as a retired psychotherapist I know we are all searching for ways to heal. I grew up poor, living on the wrong side of the tracks. My father died of ALS when I was 8 years old, and my mom returned to college to pursue a nursing degree, and struggled to keep a roof over our heads. There was no therapy, and both my brothers and myself acted out our pain. We were grounded a lot! During these times I would find solace in my room, rearranging the furniture, painting it, organizing my collections of nick knacks, and writing poetry in colorful markers on my window shades. I sewed my own shirts, tie dyed T’s and embroidered my jeans. When I was old enough, I taught arts and crafts to kids during the summer. I’m so blessed to relive those memories with my grandkids each week at “Camp Lenny Links” (what we call our special day together).
It should come as no surprise that given my upbringing, and my mom being a nurse that I would go on to study psychology and pursue a graduate degree in social work. Bearing witness to my clients emotional life, and helping them create their own unique ways of healing was such an honor. For 35 years I was focused on being a good listener. Now through my art I am focused on being heard. I paint flowers to honor the memory of my grandmother. I paint landscapes because nature is amazing and therapeutic. I think perhaps I have some things to say about our treatment of the earth. Stay tuned for that!
I hope you are feeling inspired by this post. If you need more motivation consider the wealth of research that documents the stress relieving benefits of hobbies, particularly those that involve repetitive hand work such as knitting, crocheting, painting, and even coloring to name a few! What healing do you seek through your hobbies or art? How can being present in the creative process bring you home to yourself? I hope you’ll start today with a plan to bring some creative joy into your life and those around you! ☺️
