Tuesday, March 24, 2020

Keeping cheerful is the most important job


Winter Lovers' Sunset
Acrylic on cradled birch panel
8 x 10 inches
Barbara Muir © 2019
It's the monthaversary of our wedding day.  We celebrate
every month, and tonight had a sip of champagne on
the back porch sitting in incredibly beautiful, golden, late
afternoon sunlight.

Later I was reading my book, and ended up falling asleep.
I was talking to myself in a dream, saying, "Lighten up!"
So I did.  In my dream first I saw a candle in the dark, then
firecrackers shooting across the sky like they do here on the beach on
Victoria Day, then a sparkler. And I told myself that we might
not have firecrackers this year, or sparklers. Plus they are no
doubt bad for the environment.  But so fantastic.

When I woke up I went to the window. The most incredibly
beautiful sunset filled the western sky! Wow! It was like
the universe said, "see what I mean?"

Okay, we are in a grievous pandemic.  The other night I
found it oddly comforting to realize when I wanted to
grumble about not getting to go to the art store, or my
art group, or to teach, or to be in an art show -- that I had
to get real. This virus is like the bubonic
plague.  It's random, insidious, and horrific.

So every minute that we are well is a bonus -- a reason
to be happy, to celebrate, to say Yay!  Do you do that?
Do you check yourself, and say --"Hey!  Change your
point of view?"  I think I probably do it a million times
a day. Almost as often as I wash my hands.

Although we have no snow today, this painting is of a
similarly gorgeous sunset to the one we enjoyed tonight.

Have a being grateful for being healthy day.

2 comments:

laura said...

What a sweet custom.
And a great story ... and painting!

Barbara Muir said...

Thank you so much Laura,

I so love your daffodils. We try to at least wish each other Happy Monthaversary on
both the monthly date of our wedding anniversary, and our first date.

Both stay vividly in our minds, and there was never a more important time
for small bits of happiness than now.

Stay healthy and stay safe.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXO Barbara

Portrait Artist

My photo
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
I paint and draw on commission and for shows. To commission a portrait, or purchase one of my paintings please contact me at: barbara.muir@sympatico.ca
A major highlight in my career? Drawing Oprah Winfrey live via Skype for her show "Where in the Skype are you? Galleries: Studio Vogue Gallery, Toronto, Canada. The Amsterdam Whitney Gallery, New York City. Gallery at the Porch Door, Kingston, Canada. Your positive comments on this blog mean the world to me. I'd love to hear from you!