A little truth about me!!

This is a one of the first pictures I painted, I call her "My truth."  I have this picture hanging by the side of my bed so that every morning when I wake it is the first thing I see, and every night it's message helps comforts me.
I didn't realize how much the messages in this painting were going to come to mean to me while I was painting it.  It wasn't until recently that I realized just how close to home these messages hit and how much I needed to hear them.   I would love to share my thoughts on this little painting with you and hope you can take away a few of your own.  


I have always like the saying "a little birdie told me" so what better way to hear your dreams.  This is one of my favorite quotes by Eleanor Roosevelt.  She was one amazing lady, very inspiring and funny.  Once I came across a quote about a rose that she had named after her, it cracked me up:

"I once had a rose named after me and I was very flattered. But I was not pleased to read the description in the catalogue: no good in a bed, but fine up against a wall." - Eleanor Roosevelt 

Behind my little beauty holding the bird I used  sheet music for a back ground and magazine cut outs about "breaking away" and "dream the good life".  I think that's something we can all relate to, music and inspiration.  I enjoy the word "collecting", because it applys to so many things.  I enjoy being a collector of friends, stories, memories, laughter, good times, love, seasons, rainy days, sunset, talents and the joys of life.  I am what one might call an emotional pack rat, holding onto all the warm fuzzies I can wrap my mind around. 
If you look closely you will see that the branches in my tree of life are full of fortune.  That's right for as long as I can remember I have been collecting (there's that word again) fortune's from fortune cookies.  I slip them in my wallet, night stand, car ashtray since I don't smoke, coat pockets, work desk and  fortune jar in my studio.  I keep them as a reminder that there is always good fortune out there just waiting for me to live it.  Just some of the fortunes that are part of my tree of life are:
"We must always have old memories, and young hopes."
"A women's dreams is an index to her greatness."
"If you want the rainbow, you have to tolerate the rain."
"The more joy we have the more nearly perfect we are." (all great words to live by)
Last but not least are the three colorful butterflies with clock faces for bodies.  They symbolize how quickly time flies, like soft whispers on a butterflies wings.
Thanks you for letting me share my emotional ramblings with you.  I hope you enjoy my little painting and my truths.  My wish for you is that you go out there and find your truths, find what makes you happy, what makes you strong and begin to live your truths one day at a time. x0x0
                                          
                                                 (enjoy the sunrise of Utah's west desert)