Living

Today was just not a good day. I had planned to get up, ship orders, paint, run another auction on Facebook, you know, just the usual breakneck pace I always run at. Instead I cried for a while, distracted myself with PHP and HTML, indulged in a little retail therapy, and gesso'd some new canvases. I think any day that starts with the news that a lovely friend has passed away suddenly and unexpectedly is just not meant to be a very productive, or very good, day.

I was very lucky to have met Christine Winters. We started running into each other at art shows, and then life took me to Montana, and I only got to see Christine once a year, at NorWesCon. This year I was upset because we were not on any panels together. Now I am even more upset about that fact. I hardly saw her at NorWesCon this year, and now I will not spend another NWC enjoying her company. It is hard to imagine NWC without her.

I got to thinking while I was gessoing that canvas about how people will say things to the effect of people come into our lives to teach us a lesson. I think it's kind of selfish to believe that people exist solely to teach you, big dummy, to live better. But I think it is important to learn something from everyone you meet, otherwise their time in your life is wasted.

So I thought to myself, "What did Christine teach me? What will I try to do better in order to honor the time Christine spent in my life?" and I decided that ultimately, Christine would want me to be the best mother I can be, to always remain true to myself, to always pursue art, and to be very, very good to my dog.

I will miss her (oft unsolicited ;) ) advice, her wisdom, her sense of humor, and her beautiful, smiling face greeting me at every art show.

<3