Little by Little, Look What I Drew
Life can be unpredictable, with highs and lows that we may not always be prepared for. One moment, everything may seem to be going smoothly, but the next moment, we are
faced with unexpected challenges that make us feel like we're losing our grip. Despite the difficulties, I find it important to keep moving forward and finding ways to make progress, no matter how slow.
For me, life got a bit overwhelming and chaotic when we adopted a 12-week-old shelter dog around Christmas. We weren't expecting to bring a dog home that day, but we couldn't resist giving this little puppy a loving family. However, caring for her has been a rollercoaster ride of teething, chewing, potty training, and various health issues, such as a CCL injury, ear infection, bladder infection, and lots and lots of barking. On top of that, multiple family events were happening at the same time, including graduations, moving kids, sickness, applying for new jobs, new cars, traveling, and changes in seasons.
With all of these responsibilities, my art world got pushed to the side, and I had to fight to keep my creativity alive. I found myself sitting at the kitchen table every afternoon, since my art studio in the living room of our apartment had to be repurposed for a time to accommodate our son living with us. Nori, the little puppy I told you about, and I sat in there every afternoon during her naptime. While she slept, I slowly found my creativity by picking up my pencil and drawing. I started with a sketchbook and then moved on to paper and pens, and eventually, watercolors. Before I knew it, I had created 30 small pieces from my sketchbook.
Before January, I had grand art plans for 4-panel tiny worlds, gardens every month, and an art and photography store. But none of those plans came to fruition. Instead, I learned to appreciate the small steps I was taking each day, even if they seemed insignificant. I may be working at a slower pace and producing less, but I am still growing as an artist. I don't feel like my dream was delayed, but rather re-imagined. The bump I hit was meant to be, and little Nori has brought so much joy into our lives.
So, little by little, I will continue to work on my art. Little by little, I will be one step closer to realizing my dream. It's okay to slow down and appreciate the small steps along the way. After all, life is a journey, not a race.
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