Chaos

Grey Gold

 A theme often touched upon in this blog is learning to accept giving ourselves some slack in our lives. When there are so many details in your world that seem to need tending, a loss of enjoyment of your life can follow.

So, while allowing the little things slide so as indulge ourselves in the bigger and better aspects of our lives is tricky, learning to deal with the onslaught of chaos is an entirely different situation. And, much more difficult to tame.

Chaos can be induced by something as minor as a head cold, or as major as losing a job. The hassle of rearranging a week of activities and obligations can be overwhelming; fortunately, the possible off-putting of events for a week can help us to avoid having to do too much maneuvering immediately. Chaos can be ignored sometimes and, often, we are better to just do so.

But, when it is something as encompassing as loss of a job, a career, an income, the chaos that ensues can be overwhelming. A reevaluation of an entire lifestyle doesn’t come simply, nor is it something that can be pushed away in the hope that delay will make the chaos disappear.

The idea of just offering it up to the Universe begs the issue of bringing our lives back into a livable state. The tricky part of chaos descending is that it is like a violent, churning ocean storm in which you are caught without a usable vessel: you are not only treading water to stay afloat, but know that you need to be swimming toward shore before the waves overtake you. The shore is order, land under our feet the necessary control. The Universe may wash you onto the sand, but without your contribution of effort, the odds decrease significantly.

There are times when it seems like an entire front of chaos blows across your shoreline, tossing a new storm over your haven constantly, ripping the plywood you’ve just affixed for safety, off, in a single puff.

Other Side of the Door

Yep.

Been that way for a while now. Still have no system to bring chaos into line; still dealing with each crisis, unexpected expense, loss, illness, etc., at a time. Sometimes it’s relatively clear what needs to be done to move out of the storm. Other times, there is no obvious solution; or worse, any solution that you can implement as others hold the power, if you will.

Maybe it is as straightforward as letting the Universe decide for you. Maybe it is forgiving yourself for not having the ability to solve a situation brought about by chaos. Maybe it just is what it is and it’s okay to accept that. Maybe it is taking a lot of deep breaths, closing your eyes, opening them again and refocusing your energies.

It seems to most likely be the last one. And, that’s okay if that's what it has to be.

Expanse at Sunset
 

 

Still Here!

I'm still here! Haven't forgotten all my Friends and Fellow Fans of Life!

We've just been busy here in the non-virtual world. Several wonderful opportunities have been stepping up to our door and a-knockin'. We've been taking the time to invite them in for some tea and chat, you might say!

So, we will be back. And, soon, I'm sure. Thank you so very much for all of your continued support!

And, take time to enjoy your non-virtual world, too!

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On another note:

I would love to have your suggestions on a holiday give-away from Bronson Hill Arts! Something easily customizable, or a print, or some notecards (which can be customizable, too), or anything else!

I'm planning on running it next week so that I can get it mailed to the winner by Thanksgiving week, so let me know what you think, friends!

Thanks, again!

IF: (Amazing Technicolor) Journey

The Amazing Technicolor Journey
6x9 Watercolor on 140# Watercolor Paper
©2011 BEDeuel 

As the proverbial road of life often does, it turns. Sometimes sharply, sometimes subtly.
I’ve encountered a sharp, defining turn in that road as of late.

An opportunity came upon me make a job change. It’s with a newer, growing practice, run by a young, dynamic doctor who is also a very nice person. And it’s incredibly close to home. With the unbelievable increase in the cost of gasoline today, and continuing to increase at an unbelievable rate, the opportunity couldn’t have been more perfect.

The unfortunate aspects of the change are that I will miss the boss and people I worked with, as well as my patients, and I won’t have as much free time to devote to the blog and the artwork as I‘ve had the last 7 or so months.

And now with spring (hopefully) upon us, I’m looking forward to spending a lot more time outdoors. So where does that leave Bronson Hill Arts?

At this point, the energy and time I can devote to BHA will have to be more focused. I want to do more involved pieces of artwork and do more with printing and selling Mike’s images. We’ve been invited to participate in a couple of shows and will submit to a local art show over the summer at a state college gallery. These steps are just the beginnings of what we want to accomplish with Bronson Hill Arts.

As for the blog, I want to keep writing it. And I want to try to tie it in with showcases such as Illustration Friday and Cactus Monday. The Twenty Minute Challenge also intrigues me. The blog will be for connecting with all of you, which was not the original purpose. That was to promote the artwork, not for the fun of it. And it has been so much fun joining the blogging community. The support and shared joy of life and art has been fabulous!

So in taking this new turn in the road, the new road has narrowed. The path is more and differently defined than the first road was. The goals have changed, too. Which brings us back to the journey. The journey has had to be altered as well.

The journey has started. Again. Isn’t it fun?
　
　
　

Fate



Boy Optician Meets...

Have I mentioned that I believe in Fate? That most of the time there is a reason that something happens the way it happens?

My favorite example is meeting my husband, Mike. We met at work, which being opticians wouldn’t be all that extraordinary. It was the timing that was, well, fortuitous.
 
I had started working for, shall we say, Company G in July. I was acquainted with one of the opticians and he had helped me get the job. Now, I had worked at a lot of optical offices, but had never worked at one that was so disorganized and petty. I was miserable. And, I’d only been there 3 weeks.

Luckily, another job offer came my way with a former employer and I jumped on it. I gave my 2-week notice to Company G. What a relief for me, not so much for the owner of the company. He was starting another office and needed to keep my position filled. Oh, well…such is life!
He had worked with Mike before and had brought Mike back to start the new office. But, in being overly-optimistic, he had brought Mike in 2 weeks earlier than he had needed. You see where this is going, right? Yep. It was love at first sight for me and Mike talked me into staying. I think he could’ve talked me into jumping off the proverbial bridge then!



...Girl Optician!

So, the timing was everything. Two weeks later and we might not have met. That’s a thought that saddens me, so I try not to think it.

I’ve felt the push of Fate working again as of late. I took the job I have now just hours before I was called for a busier, higher-paying job. Am I sorry? No, I’m not. If I had that job, I’d be under tremendous stress. I wouldn’t have the time or the energy to pursue these new and exciting avenues of blogging and trying to market my love of art.

I truly think that this is where I need to be at this point in my life. I’ve been re-introduced to friendships and talents that have lain dormant much too long. I’ve learned more about the internet and computers in the last 5 months than I had ever known prior. I’ve been exploring new media and techniques with artwork. I’m starting to love what I do at work again. I’ve found my zen for this moment in the universe.

The tendency we all have, the mentality that is pounded into all of our brains, is we always need to have more. More money, more time, more youth, more adoration, etc. And we rail against Fate when we don’t get it.

Go with the Flow and You May Land in a Beautiful Place!

But if you were to honestly evaluate what you do have, what would you change? And, if you changed it, what would you lose?



In the big picture, Fate has most likely given you what you need. Now, just take it and use it to create the life you want.