Me and SuZie

My friend SuZie is an artist. She has an endearing way about her, and she and I have become friends. We have never actually met, but have talked to each other at length.

She is the person I confided to that my one secret dream was ~ that I wanted to paint. But, I could not find the connection inside myself to put the brush to the paper or canvas. Since I have told SuZie about this, and she has been so understanding of my feeling of fear about this step in my life, I have been able to actually speak my dream out loud to other people. I am now, not afraid to fail. Because I realize I would not be failing at anything.

SuZie has encouraged me, in the most gentle and kind ways, to please begin. Just begin, she says. Every time I encounter a road block, SuZie seems to say or do the right thing to help me keep on that path and further open the door that will help me fulfill this feeling in myself.

I have not yet found the way to do the big things I wish, but I have made a few small stokes on paper in my most private moments.

Anyway, SuZie made a suggestion to me, that she and I could encourage each other with quotes of motivation that we feel have meaning to us, and as they come , we send them to each other.

Here is the list we have so far:

Suzie's .... The meeting of two personalities is like the contact of two chemical substances: if there is any reaction, both are transformed. C.G. Chung A.W. page 35

Roxie's..... Creativity flourishes when we have a sense of safety and self-acceptance....
The Artist's Way, page 42

Suzie's... Dependence on the creator within is really freedom from all other dependencies. A.W. page 95

Roxie's ... Learning is movement from moment to moment. AW page 161

Suzie...What lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny matters compared to what lies inside us. Ralph Waldo Emerson A.W. p. 6

Roxie... "Finish every day and be done with it. You have done what you could; some blunders and absurdities crept in - forget them as soon as you can. Tomorrow is a new day. You shall begin it well and serenely, and with too high a spirit to be encumbered with your old mistakes and nonsense" R.W. Emerson

Suzie...It's not because things are difficult that we do not dare; it is because we do not dare that they are difficult. Seneca p 83

Roxie's...When you want to do something sincerely and are decisive about it; the power of concentration becomes available to you. Concentration allows you to achieve more in less time and respond to situations in a more effective way.''''''''''''''''''''''(Found in Thought For Today) Note from roxie: I spend my time afraid of the project instead of just letting all parts of me be involved with the project.

Suzie... Life shrinks and expands in proportion to one's courage. Anais Nin P. 156

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So there are our quotes of encouragement to each other for the week before. Perhaps others can find some encouragement from these thoughts we have stumbled upon in our journeys to feel the completion of the artistic calling.