Today is my 42nd Birthday.
It’s ok.
I’m fine with being 40-something because it means I get a teensy bit wiser each year which makes it easier to see the life lessons and teachers when they appear. It also makes it easier to attract them to you and hold on once you recognize them. By chance and kismet I met a woman who is on a similar journey. She and I are both in the process of a year long project that revolves around apples – and if that wasn’t coincidence enough we are both named Jenna! When Jenna and I first connected we both saw the significance in the way our paths were crossing and in a few short weeks we’ve become great support for one another – because really, how could we possibly find one other soul out there who is as interested in apples on a daily basis as the two of us? But what I’m finding is that the simple connection that could have been a passing hello has become a big opportunity for me to learn some things about myself and that Jenna Norwood is in my life for many reasons.
This morning she was the first person to call and wish me a happy birthday – song and all! And she asked me how I was going to honor myself today. What was I going to do to mark the occasion for me. I really had to think on that one because it has been something so outside my daily thinking that I found the normally opinionated and outspoken me – had no response. That in fact, it made me slightly uncomfortable which is most definitely code for – “wow – you better take a good hard long look at why this makes you so uncomfortable.”
I don’t have any answers to share with you at this point. I think it will take me some time to figure out how to find comfort in the concept but I did decide to paint today’s apple for someone very special. Today’s apple is in honor of me – I will gift it to myself. The image holds great meaning because it resembles a painting I did before I got really sick. It’s one of the last large paintings (shoot – one of the last paintings altogether) that I did for over 4 years. The painting represents me in many ways – but it is hanging in my laundry room! So what does that say?
Tonight I take it out of the laundry room and hang it in a place of importance – so that I can love and nurture it – and me. Let’s learn how to do this together. How will you honor yourself today?
Until tomorrow.
Jenna
Day 155 was created in acrylics. The original 3′ x 3′ piece is a large pot where here the apple is the flower pot… I know hard to imagine so I’ve included this picture of it hanging in my laundry room!
