3 Helpful Actions to Consider Today

"Yes, Please," 37H x 67W inches, on canvas.

"The Golden Rule," quadriptych, 12H x 36W x 1.5D inches, hardboard on cradled wood.

"Peace and Quiet," 40H x 60W inches, on canvas.

    I don't know about you, but now that I'm back out there, meeting friends and actually doing things with bunches of maskless people, I notice how awkward and overcome I often feel. Stilted conversations, forgotten gestures of affection, and out-of-practice manners abound. It's like a garden overgrown with weeds–I want my plants to thrive but just can't seem to get started or find the energy to get things done. Well, the weeding has begun. I'm plugging away at it, slowly, surely, deliberately. Here are 3 Helpful Actions that 18 months of relative isolation have left a bit rusty, as expressed in my recent paintings:
1. Say, "Yes, Please," without expectation or self-absorption. It's a big world full of faces and it's not all about me and my quaranteam anymore.
2. Follow "The Golden Rule." Seems a no-brainer. The hard part is taking the time to truly put myself in others' shoes.
3. Make space in every busy day for "Peace, and Quiet."  We've gotten used to a lot of quiet time. A lot. The thrust back into hustle-bustle requires reprieve.
     Wouldn't it be great if this formidable pandemic left us kinder, gentler, and more receptive? As we launch ourselves into the peopled world after a long, dark year and a half, I wish you a soft and blissful landing. Enjoy summer, my friends!