Finding your Path

Once there was a girl who loved to draw, and sketch and color. To her, nothing was better than that.  She doodled, drew, and designed clothes and shoes for untold hours.  Never happier than when she had pencil, or marker, and paper. At 11 years old she received a 48 pack of fine line markers! And practically swooned. (the true beginning of her love of art supplies!)

She studied Fashion Design in college because she was obsessed with drawing clothing and shoes by her teen years.   Ah, but she had a professor who tried, and coaxed, and never let go of the idea that the girl should have been an Illustration major.

One day in class she strolled the room checking progress and speaking to the entire group, then came to stand at the girl's elbow and said, "It is never too late to change what you are doing. Never to late to follow the path you are meant to be on."

The girl knew it was directed at her but held fast to her plan because she was stubborn, and she had fought hard to be in that  program and thought it was where she belonged.

Shoe Love 2015 Wall Calendar 7x11 by GFillustrator

The 19 yr old girl was absolutely convinced that Fashion Design was her calling. But, after graduation she became a textile stylist, and from there many twists and turns on a varied career path.  Some strayed far and wide, but all were tremendous learning experiences. The professor she could never quite forget, the words that hung in her memory for decades turned over and over, like a stone being polished. 

The idea that maybe, maybe that teacher was right all those years ago. Maybe it was time. When she truly realized she needed to change paths - to the right path, her true path... it was those words from college that held her steady on a long and tough road.

Decades later that girl, now a woman, knows she has found her calling, and is never happier than when she is doodling, sketching, illustrating... and bringing ideas to life on paper in ink and paint!  And, she feels profoundly lucky to illustrate for 2 print magazines, Matters and Simply Gluten Free, create commissions for both private clients and businesses, and to sell her illustrations to collectors worldwide.  She looks toward a future of increasing her illustration roster, and a lifetime of bringing ideas to life on paper!
And, whispers a thank you prayer to that college professor that could see her path long before she could.

She hears...

“Whether you think you can, or you think you can't, you are right.”  ~ Henry Ford

Last week we had one of those frantic, rushed, gonna-be-a-miracle-to-catch-the-school-bus kind of a morning. It was getting more and more stressful as the moments ticked away... making the distance between our house and the bus stop seem to loom further and more impossible.

Instead of getting totally crazy I chose to take a breath and calmly said "Relax.. we're not going to make it. Let's slow down and I will drive you to school. Then we have plenty of time."

Ah, but she LOVES the bus, and the social time it affords her with friends before school starts.

"NO!  No, Mom, don't say we won't make it... if you believe it, it will be so. You need to say we can make it! Believe it and we WILL make it!"

OMG! That completely stopped me in my tracks!  I have said this dozens of times to her when I hear declarations like... "I can't do it", "It's too hard", "I will never be able to do this"

I had no idea she was actually hearing me!  And, believing!  It is not falling on deaf ears, as they say.  WOW... what else does she really hear?  Makes a great case to keep repeating all the right things, the things she doesn't seem to hear, the things that will build her up, will help her believe in herself, that will guide her to make good choices as she grows!

PS - She actually did make the bus, just barely and we did have to run full speed sprint the entire way, but she believed we could do it, and she made it happen!!  That is one powerful lesson.