I feel so blessed to be able to tend, hold, protect, encourage and watch my children grow… especially considering world events and families that aren’t able to be together. We’re fortunate to have a wonderful folk school in the area where my kids took classes recently. It’s such a strange thing as a mom to nurture our children with hopes that they can become more independent along the way. I wrote a few poems about the experience that feel fitting and timely with Independence Day coming up where I live.
This poem is called Ashes of Love:
https://vimeo.com/277702786
This poem is called Dust of Love:
https://vimeo.com/277701674
The photos and courses my boys took were at the John C. Campbell Folk School in Brasstown, NC. I was blessed to take a course there years ago that helped revive my creative expression and sparked all that I’ve offered since. From their website:
John C. Campbell Folk School provides experiences in non-competitive learning and community life that are joyful and enlivening. Located in scenic Brasstown, North Carolina, the Folk School offers year-round weeklong and weekend classes for adults in craft, art, music, dance, cooking, gardening, nature studies, photography and writing. Folks come together in this haven, tucked in the beautiful western North Carolina mountains, to have creative and fun learning experiences. The Folk School’s motto, ‘I sing behind the plow’, reflects our desire to find joy in our daily lives.
I hope to teach at the folk school in the future and gladly support it through the Amazon Smile program. We have similar missions to be joyful and enlivening! Purchases of my new book on Amazon can also support the participant of your choice through the Amazon Smile program.
In addition, I feel a need to take all of the love, hopes, and prayers in my heart from recent events and turn it into some kind of action. So, I’m donating all profits from my inspiration card decks from now through July 4th for children who aren’t celebrating independence this month, including those separated from families and my cousin’s son, who wishes he was able to be more independent right now. All Card Deck Profits through July 4th will be donated for the Children and their days of Interdependence. I’m not on any political side. I’m on the children’s side. I originally made these decks because I had a health scare and was afraid of being taken away from my own children. I wanted them to have some tangible way to hold my love and presence. May this be a way to make prayers more tangible and let the art continue to heal in multiple ways. You can read more about the donations at ThriveTrue.com/children.
Each month, I invite a blessing and randomly pick an inspiration card to share in my Heart to Heart email newsletters. The card pick for this month is EXPRESSION. I feel so blessed to be able to follow my heart and share my presence through art and writing. I hope you are able to trust your voice. Creative expression has helped to heal my broken heart. I share many blessings, painted prayers, healing messages, magic, and medicine I’ve found through art in my inspiration card decks.The art on this card was inspired by the angelic butterfly like shape that magically appeared in the center while I was playing with paint.
It also makes me think of the invitation in my book to “Let Your Heart Sing!” I’m so thankful for the ability to do that in the time and place where I live. I’m grateful for every single soul that has chosen to encourage my expression by purchasing the book or my art. I hope it is encouraging in return.
The EXPRESSION card pick for this month has inspired me to give the gift of expression if possible. You have a song to sing! I’d be glad to cheer you on as you express yourself. You can enjoy any one of the Thrivival online courses I offer as my present to you during July. Simply sign-up to receive the free Heart to Heart email newsletters to receive the coupon code for your free gift.
Thank YOU for letting me share my soul songs through my offerings.
