ripples

Late this summer I joined a marvelous online project whose goal is to allow people to send and receive postcards from all over the world.  Except for the cost of stamps and postcards it's all free and I've been enjoying the process tremendously. postcrossing.com  In mid September I was diagnosed with a very scary medical challenge.  My mind churned up tortured thoughts and had me all wound up with "what ifs."  Postcrossing was a terrific distraction and one sweet card in particular hit me just right.  It came from a nursing student in Taiwan and she signed it with the words "Always be happy!"  It was just what I needed to hear.  I started looking at life through different eyes and I began signing my e-mails with her closing words.  Friends started offering additional "always be..." phrases and one of my favorites was "always be kind" because you never know what another person is going through.

By October I decided to share those words with even more people.  Since it was the "political season" the landscape everywhere was dotted with voting signs.  I realized I could make my own sign with a different outlook.  My husband found an outdated sign in our barn, cleaned it up and painted it white to create my "canvas."  I then took it to my studio where I covered both sides in abstract swirls of color and lettered messages.  When it was dry I proudly installed it by the edge of the road in front of our home.

Every time I saw my sign I would smile and feel good about my own version of "changing the political landscape" and a good friend of mine who is an artist decided to follow suit and create a sign for the top of her driveway.

I wish I could say that I am still smiling every time I see these signs, but unfortunately someone decided to remove the sign in front of my house.  I'd like to think that he or she really needed it in their lives and that they put it out in front of their own house.  But I'm pretty sure that is a fairy tale. 

Every day life changes.  Sometimes it is hard to be happy.  But for just a little while I think my messages may have added a spark to the thoughts of people passing by, and who knows where those ripples spread.

Always laugh out loud!