oil on panel $800
“Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate, our deepest fear is that we are
powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness, that most frightens us.
We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous?”
Marianne Williamson
I implore my fellow humans to pause, take a moment to ask yourself,
are you simply repeating a shallow thought or idea made popular by a large group?
Does the thought or idea you’re spreading unite, grow, heal? Are you promoting
and encouraging compassion and empathy or are you defining yourself
by the things you don’t like? Are you defined by hate, fear, and negativity or are you applying your
beautiful brain cells to orchestrating growth, wellness, and compassion for our fellow humans?
“What does it feel like to be wrong? It doesn’t feel any different than being right.
UNTIL… we realize we’re wrong.” Kathryn Schulz
I watched my grandmother cling so viciously to the need to be right that she completely,
shredded and degraded her “loved” ones to defend even the most illogical and arbitrary topics.
She so desperately HAD to be right. My father committed extremely violent attacks
on his own family because he was DEAD CERTAIN he had the “right” to.
As a parent, I made the mistake for years of thinking I had to be right.
Every ounce of lazy thought has repaid me with tons of heartbreaking repercussions.
Are you strong enough to honestly analyze your thoughts and the resulting deeds?
Are you strong enough to consider another’s point of view?
Are you strong enough to dismantle old hate and fear-driven, destructive behavior patterns?
Are you strong enough to build new bricks for your foundation of interacting
with your fellow humans? A foundation including curiosity and compassion?
Are you strong enough to see the pain you’re causing others and then make changes?
Are you strong enough to set aside shallow values and really see people for who they are?
Do you need to feel the cozy comfort of joining a group no matter how nasty
their attitude and destructive the results of their trajectory?
Are you strong enough to form your own ideas based on love, even if you’re
the only one as far as you can see in your environment who espouses these ideas?
Ten years from now, thirty years from now, I will be responsible for the way I’ve lived my life.
The seeds of destruction and fear will yield a crop as will the seeds of compassion and love.
I choose for myself and, should I have the added time on this planet,
nobody will be standing beside me when I assess how I’ve used my minutes.
I am my toughest critic, I set my highest standard for my behavior,
and I will only have myself to hold truly accountable if I sow the wrong seeds.
“Own Your Power” is the first exploration of a work-in-progress of a woman
who embodies the title of this piece. She is strong, intelligent, beautiful inside and out,
doesn’t weaken or diminish her power for the comfort of others.
With grace and compassion, she teaches self-care and self-defense.”
