A New Day

Some readers will notice a strangely symbiotic link between Samunnat Nepal's Colourful Journey blog and this one (and if you haven't spotted it by now why not?) It may be explained in part by the strangely symbiotic relationship between the blogger (s) involved?? Go with it.Kopila and I have been preparing our talk for the Eurosynergy Conference in Malta next month and the connection of the sisterhood is something we have discussed more than once. Samunnat Nepal has been abundantly encouraged and supported by people from all over the world and this is one reason why we want to encourage as many people as possible to sign this petition for Amnesty International. Read more about it here or here.This connection, the sisterhood, is something that has been very much on my mind this week.  Every morning, one of the things I say to myself as I have my little sit, is Knowing that we are all strength and struggle, may I nurture connection and that sense of belonging that only happens when we believe we are enough ( sort of paraphrasing Brene Brown of course in the Gifts of Imperfection).  Every morning I have sent love and thoughts to a number of sisters who are really facing some big challenges.I think art can be so powerful in expressing that sense of connection, that love.  Recently, as I was preparing for the DD class, I had a sense of needing to create quite different piece to what I was doing for the class.  I often talk in classes about starting, following even tiny hunches and having faith in the process to see where it will go.  I followed this merest hint of a thought and then, once I began (and I think this is often the way after starting) this piece took on a life of its own.  Very soon after beginning it, it became abundantly clear which of my precious sisters it was for.  It became abundantly clear what elements to use and include that would have meaning.  The photos show different aspects and I hoped it would say all that I was unable to say in words, to convey all the love, the hopes, the strength I was sending.The ladies of Samunnat sometimes send a piece of their jewellery to sisters we know who are facing challenging times. I have done the same thing. With just about everything I make, there is a story.  A necklace may arise from thinking about some person (like this one for my mum for example), or a situation, or an emotion.  And so often my art has been made because I don't have the words to say what I want.  And that means that sometimes you need to start it before you have the words.  Or the clear finished image of what you are creating.  Just create...just start....see what happens.