One of many favorite pictures and a lot of thoughts about living in community…

I attended a celebration of life today and was once again blown away by just how many people one person’s life can touch. Last October we moved back to a small town we were once a part of for more than 16 years. At first, I was hesitant to make the move from the peaceful county farm back to small town life. Something finally shifted in me today, though, when I experienced a beautiful tribute to a genuinely lovely soul and saw a community come together in sorrow but also in love and support. It is a truly comforting feeling to know that somehow you are part of something bigger — that time is the true commodity, not money and things, but the time you share with the people you come in contact with everyday.

How does all this fit into my Art you may ask?

That’s easy — without those people I come in contact with everyday, my art would remain unseen by everyone but me. Beyond that, I have also started to figure out that the more you contribute and become involved in your community, the more fulfilling your life can be. It becomes less about what you can get out of life and more about what you give. And what you give comes back to you ten fold. Ultimately, a life lived for and with others is never wasted. So thank you to my small town — and the surrounding community that it holds — for welcoming me back home.