Through a series of events, and most recently a friend sending me the Ted talk “Start with Why,” I have been pondering why “be a heart.” I look at it all the time, but I’m not sure I really embody it. I struggle to even define what that means. However, my third grade teacher drilled it into my head the writing technique “show vs. tell.”
As my business picks up (I mean so much is happening behind the scenes and I am praying that even more happens in the coming months), I do not want to forget why I do this or what it is my own heart has been led to be.
The following brain process happened: I should document people who lived their lives as a heart. I should paint their quotes. I should fill up my instagram with their quotes. Okay I’ll never manage to do that if I’m writing them all, they are long. What if I practiced my watercoloring instead? What can I paint? Cut out squares and fill them. (I cut out squares, got my paint brush and my favorite color of indigo paint.) What do I paint? Anything, Erica. Paint patterns. Let your hand be free.
And then I just painted for the first time in a really long time. You see, I’m so rigid. I am rigid in my life and I am rigid in my art. I measure everything out. I do not want to do it the “wrong way.” I wanted to throw away half of the squares. But when I was in Brazil, I never ever let the kids throw away their mess ups. I had a whole theory that they had to learn to work with their mistakes and not be so hard on themselves. But oh my gosh, I never followed this myself!!!!
I painted and then I uploaded them. And I am going to continue to paint squares. And these squares of me LETTING GO are going to be the backdrops to quotes from some of the people that can teach me how to “be a heart.” And letting go (in my art, but more so in my life) is a great start just that.
This may change, but for now my plan is to write about the person’s life on the blog here–a little bio. And then over on my instagram, which you can follow at @beaheartdotcom, I will post my favorite quotes from this person. Sometimes we all just need a little reminder.
All my prayers and gratitude,
Erica
