Inspiration for the Gray Times

I feel that when things are a bit gray in life, we need to brighten them up. We don’t necessarily have the funds to go out and spend, spend, spend. But we CAN put some flowers out in colors that make us happy. Choose your favorite colors, whether you arrange sunflowers, pink roses, hyacinths, friendly daisies, or stunning cobalt blue hydrangeas.

Listen to beautiful music. I enjoy Andrea Boccelli or listening to the psalms sung in Hebrew. Read an uplifting book, go to an art gallery and look at beautiful things. This will all bring joy into your life, perhaps temporal joy, but it really helps.

I spent some time recently at the Chrysler Museum of Art in the neighboring city of Norfolk http://www.chrysler.org/.

Julia Cameron, author of The Artists’ Way, (http://www.theartistsway.com/) refers to encounters like mine as artists’ dates. Julia also believes that artistic expression is a form of spirituality, which is true for me as well. I draw my inspiration for decorating from many different media and esthetics, but art is a constant inspiration. Pictured above is a painting by Franz Kline, entitled “Zinc Yellow." I saw this during my artist's date and it filled my heart with inspiration.

When I feel down or blue, I read cook books. I plan a nice meal and shop for it. This is creative for me. I go into my garden, even in winter and just look at whatever is growing out there at the moment. I realize then that there is a point to winter, there’s a point to autumn, a point to all seasons. I know that there is a time for every purpose under heaven. After the dark periods, there is always springtime. When you look at a garden you know this…that new life will come.

Make sure that you don’t dress in black or gray all the time. Put on some lovely colors to lift your spirits. Even if I am not feeling at my best, I always wash my hair, put make up on and get dressed in something that I feel good in. It is not being vain.

Here’s a quote from my mother: "Darling, remember this. Even when you go to put the trash out, have your makeup on and have your hair done. It really does make a difference."

Live life beautifully,

Elaine