It’s been a mixed year, but overall I’m going to call it a good one. I’ve grown a lot in the past twelve months, and had experiences and opportunities that I never would’ve believed would have happened a couple of years ago. It’s exciting to be on this path as an author, an artist, and a person. I’m finding I love embracing new ideas and sharing other people’s projects with the world. Although some things still trip me up, I’m learning to just embrace it and keep going – things have a way of working themselves out, more or less.
It’s been a bumpy ride here and there, and a lot of my friends have had some down times this year, so I hope 2013 gets better for them – for everyone, really. At this point in life, though, I feel like we need to take a deep breath and keep walking on. I think we’ve all been through a lot in the past twelve months, and while I don’t really make a habit of publicly commenting on a lot of current events, that doesn’t mean that they’re not affecting me or in my heart or on my mind. Still, though, I think…for me, at least, there comes a point where we have to keep walking on and walking through. That doesn’t mean ignoring hard times or rough events. I’m not saying be callous. But I think at some point, the only way through a situation is through it…and that means using our abilities as humans and finding what we can do with a situation. If that means I incorporate my emotions into my work and it reaches people and makes them think, then that’s what I can do. If things inspire me to find my voice and take up an issue, that’s a way, too. For me, I’d rather do that than vent, complain, or stomp around on media. But, I digress. What I guess I’m trying to say is that we have an opportunity: as artists, as writers, as readers, as people…we have a chance to create and contribute to the world around us. We don’t have to forget hard times and bumps in the road, but if we don’t keep walking, that’s all we’re going to see, too.
Since winter is in full gear and I think we all need a little bit of a smile lately, I wanted to share the trailer for the show I’ve been in over the holidays. Madcap Puppets is a great company and their winter show is always a big hit around here. It’s a cute thing that’s a lot of fun and makes me smile. Hearing people’s giggles or exclamations mid-show is powerful stuff, so it’s nice to know that we can bring a little holiday cheer to people when things get tense or bumpy.
So to everyone, Have a Happy, Magical New Year! Here’s looking to bright times ahead full of possibility for us to do a lot of creative things and reach our full potential!
Come Selahway With Me... 
That’s a great sentiment: keep walking. You’ll see the roses that way and you can pause to smell them. Running, well, has its place but too often just makes us trip. I’ve had a rough year; I’m working my way back to giving a darn about my life. One step at a time helps. Thanks for the reminder.