Finally, with the holiday season now officially over (even the holiday lattes are done and dusted… tear!), I can get back on track with building my Moon Birdz creative illustration business (contact me at jen@moonbirdz.com to discuss any of your art needs, including but not limited too… children’s book illustration, logo design and art licensing), as well as more inspiring blogs to usher you into a creatively inspiring 2015.

But first, I have to be honest… this holiday season was a really tough one for me.  I went back to Minnesota, and barely 2 days off the plane, something I’ve never had to deal with before happened…  My 89 year old Father ended up in the hospital with stroke-like symptoms.  He couldn’t use his legs and was very confused and disoriented.  The rest of my time there was a blur of hospitals, doctors, nurses, social workers, transitional care discussions, and trying to be the glue holding my family together.  It was truly heart-wrenching, and a testament to the strength and will of the human spirit.  You never really know how strong you are until one of your beloved ones is in desperate need of your care.  You just do whatever it takes, and possess superhero power to help make them better.  The sun is just starting to peak through the clouds again, and I’m really happy that I was there to help my Dad when he needed me the most, and would do it again in a heartbeat.  Family is everything, love is everything, patience and compassion are everything, and the ability to allow yourself to really FEEL in situations like this is everything.  I had my moments of breakdown, but I got right back up and was onto the next mission to help my Dad.  So, if you’ve ever had the unfortunate fortune to go through something like this please know that giving your family your all is one of life’s rewarding (albeit sometimes painful) blessings, but also allowing YOURSELF to truly FEEL and let the tears fall is one of the biggest gifts you can give yourself, for the tears are one of our bodies most miraculous healers, and absolutely necessary to get through tough times so that you can purify, cleanse and be empowered for the next challenges life throws your way.

Once I returned home I was compelled to sketch an octopus.  Why?  I’m still piecing that puzzle together, but it gave me a sense of tranquility with the calm, flowing beauty that they possess… and their ability to have a helping hand (or tentacle in their case) ready at a moments notice.  It just felt like the right thing to draw… my ghost octopus…

In heartfelt gratitude,

Jen

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