note to younger self

I recently was invited to join a book club with several other women.  The book we are reading and discussing is titled "Tree Spiritied Woman" by Colleen Baldrica.  We read the prologue and the first chapter and afterward there was a prompted discussion.  We were to talk about our relationships with our Grandmother(s) or a Grandmother figure and some of our memories.  It was my turn and I couldn't come up with any positive memories.  My paternal Grandmother died when I was young and I don't remember  a good relationship with my maternal Grandmother.  Yet there was this one Grandmother figure that vividly came to my mind.  It was Grandma King…. she was our pastor's mother yet everyone knew her by Grandma King.  She was an inspiration to me.  I didn't really know it then or even as I was a child but as an adult I often would recall the impact she had on me.  I remember sitting on her lap, she had a soft, cuddly lap, and she would wrap her loving arms around and whisper gently in my ear, "You are special, just the way you are and one day you will know it."  Even talking about her in this manner I can feel her arms around me!  Thank You Grandma King.

Why am I telling you this story?

Well...I felt compelled to dedicate my 2nd  page in my new art journal to Grandma King along with the message she comforted me with.  I drew a picture of me when I was in 3rd grade on a text page from a book and painted it with watercolors (one of my 1st attempts at this).  I believe Grandma King planted this message deep within me, although I wasn't aware, which has sustained me thru challenging times.  

The message is true for us all no matter what age.  

You are special, just the way you are.

P.S. Here is the 1st page in my new Art Journal, I see I never posted it on my blog.  I created it yesterday.  The writing on the art is the premise of the journal.  It is my intention to display all posts from this journal as a means to aid in me expressing myself.