Putting women in huge skirted dresses, and men in ticky-tacky boxed up jobs, and children in 'our places', only promoted a backlash of unbridled Love and Art, the "Me Generation', and more wars and depressions of dubious origins that we at least, finally, had the decency to stop naming "Great."
We are now living in a world of hurt and anxiety, not tremendously surprisingly. And so are our children, and theirs.
What will we do?
The Great War ended 99 years ago, this weekend, and we are still shell shocked.
We could turn and look the hurt straight in the eye. We could Listen. Sometimes when we are not well, the thing to do is honor what the pain is trying to tell us. Which can take courage.
May I offer my own personal favorite method of wholesomeness? Make art.
Art Heals.
Art Saves Lives.
Let's start with something simple. We can draw a Doodle Mandala. Give yourself this.
Put a dot in the center of a blank page.
Draw a little circle around it.
Make a series of a shapes on the outside of the circle; little circles, squares, or more dots, perhaps.
Draw another circle outside of the first. Draw more shapes, scallops, or even lines.
Add more circles and more shapes. Make simple or compound decorations. Don't try to be too perfect. Let this be easy.
Breathe.
Turn off the music, the news, the manifestations of other people's minds and listen to your own.
Be kind to your own Dear Self. Be polite. Be compassionate.
Be gentle. Our minds have a lot to tell us. Keep drawing. Step back from all of those thoughts going down the river. Just let them keep going on past you. Thank your brain for helping you to eat, and sleep, and brush your teeth. Keep drawing. All is well. Even if it sounds crazy. Especially when we sound fragile, or angry, or desperate, or scared, keep drawing. Scribbles and slashes can make a mandala too.
You might choose to draw a circle of hearts. Perfect. Love is our answer.
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