A New Day!

"A New Day"

(watercolour, 9x12")

    Happy New Year!!  The sense of a new start, a new beginning can sometimes feel so completely refreshing that one is invigorated with confidence anew to stride forward into each new day wanting to make the best use of their time and abilities.  When I sat down to make an illustration to celebrate the new year I was filled with the feeling I have described and wanted to express it in picture form...

    As I sat with my sketch book I pondered, "When does the feeling of looking forward to a new day begin?"  I began to draw and came up with the idea of happily awaking and stretching - that moment when your mind peruses the possiblities of the day and how you plan on going about each task you intend to accomplish - when all feels right in your world:

New Day Idea #1

(sketchbook, graphite)

    When this idea was jotted down I felt that it did not fully epxress what I wanted and could easily be seen as ready-to-go-back-to-sleep... So on I went thinking about the feeling of a new day, a new beginning and then I thought about the idea of getting out of bed with a smile, ready to take on the day: 

New Day Idea #2

(sketchbook, graphite)

     This wasn't quite right either and so after further consideration of when one is really taking the first steps into their new day I thought of the fresh, crisp air of winter that fills your lungs and the warmth of the sun on your face when you step out the door first thing in the morning.  Whether you are heading out to your job, taking the kids to school, going to a friend's house or simply going for a walk to get the mail you begin each journey with that first step. 

    A couple of years ago I was going through a difficult time and feeling as if the days were flying by me and I couldn't grasp hold of any of them, I felt that I hadn't been using my time as well as I could have been and I felt very useless and depressed knowing I couldn't get back time that had already passed, but then a thought struck: "From wherever you are right now, BEGIN!" 

    Each day is a gift and if there is something I want to accomplish and better myself in doing, from wherever I am I BEGIN!  I no longer dwell on 'could've, should've, would've' and sit in a puddle of self-pity and sorrow - I stand up and say, "From where I am right now, I'll BEGIN!"  Whether it's becoming a better bible student, a better wife, mom, friend, a healthier, more active person I simply wake up and thank God for giving me a new day and I BEGIN!

    So from wherever you are right now, BEGIN!  Embrace each new day as a new moment in time to begin accomplishing healthy goals!  May God bless you with confidence and ability to keep striving forward!

    ♥ Cath-