I realize I have posted thoughts like this before, but I hope to encourage some of you today.

My friend on WordPress and Facebook, Elena Caravela, shared an article that is a must read for anyone who has started learning to do any kind of art “late” in life.  Really, though, when is it ever “too late?”  Who determines when anyone is too old to learn anything? Unfortunately, I guess many people in our culture do which is sad.  I have had to learn to try not be one of those people!

All I know is I am 55, have written lots of stuff but never been published.  Why?  I haven’t taken the time or energy to go down that road yet.  However, I also do not want the thought of “I am not a ‘successful’ author because I haven’t had anything published” to be what drives me to write.  If getting published is what drives me, I may not do my very best. Besides, “success” to me is just doing what I love to do and enjoying it!

I’ve done lots of artwork but haven’t sold much.  In fact I have sold very little, but I also haven’t taken the time or energy or had spare money to get out every weekend and set up booths at art fairs.  I did that once, it was expensive, and I barely sold enough to cover my cost of the booth.  I realized it just wasn’t the right time for me to be doing that.  And that is OKAY!  Time with my family is valuable, and that always comes first.

I am currently working on my first picture books.  I plan to try and get them published at some point, but even if they never are, perhaps that will be a job for my kids when I am no longer in this world.  Ha, ha!  Kidding aside, I really do want to get them done so I can have them to read to kids (and maybe even grandkids someday) who may enjoy them.

My point is this:  It really is never too late to learn, to produce, to share.  However, not everything we attempt HAS to become an end product!  Also, not everything we do has to be seen or approved of by others.  If I like it, that needs to be enough for me.  The main thing is that we enjoy the process!  Everything we learn is through a process anyway.  No one learns to draw or paint or play an instrument instantly.

Find what you enjoy and stick with it!  If you try certain things and discover you don’t really want to put the time into them that it would require to get to a much higher level of skill, let it go or put it aside for later.  And if “later” never comes, so be it.  I don’t think it is the same thing as quitting something because of becoming discouraged.  Believe me!  I know how it feels to be discouraged!  I have had many meltdowns; just ask my husband!  😉

It is hard to be ‘me’ some days.  Let me explain.  First of all, I have A.D.D.  However, I never use this as an excuse.  It is just how my brain is wired.  I also struggle with depression ocassionally.  I am a person who is interested in many different things so it has been difficult through the years to pick and choose what I want to spend my spare time doing in between taking my daughter to town every day for her classes, working out at the gym, and keeping things at home running efficiently.  (In past years I taught myself to draw while I homeschooled the kids all the way through grammar school and part of their upper grades.)   I just thank God for charter schools!

So even though I have learned a little guitar and spent some time on the keyboard and done some singing in years past, those are NOT the things I enjoy as much as I do drawing, painting, and creating art and delving into pieces of writing.  I had to make a hard choice a couple of years ago, but I know it was the right choice.  (Creating this blog was even a start in the right direction.)  I don’t get hung up on how many follwers I have or worry about who reads my thoughts.  I just pray my words bless whoever does.

Anyway……this is the jist of it of this post:

Take time to evaluate what you desire to do most.  Think about this:  what things excite you?  If you are a person who has many interests, learn to pick and choose and do what drives you most.  And most of all, have FUN doing it!  

Here is the link to the article my friend, Elena, shared.  It is not very long even though this post was!  Enjoy!

http://www.jumblejoy.com/australias-oldest-painter

Have a wonderful day, and give someone you love a big hug!  🙂