25 Nov 25 - When Simple Lines Become Magic

When Simple Lines Become Magic

I've never been an artistic person. I can't tell shapes and colours apart (no, I'm not colour blind - just genuinely not wired that way). So when I heard about zentangle - an art form made up of just basic shapes and lines, black on simple white square cards - I was both skeptical and curious. Could it really be that simple?

I signed up for my first class, excited and hopeful. Then it got postponed. My enthusiasm dimmed. Was this a sign it wasn't meant to be?

But I practiced acceptance. It's okay for dates to change. Go with the flow. Be patient. See what unfolds, like a stream flowing down a gentle slope, revealing new landscapes as it moves.

Then boom! It happened. And it was amazing.

Presence transforms the ordinary into the extraordinary. Sitting there with my pen, watching patterns emerge stroke by stroke - I wasn't thinking about being "artistic" anymore. I was just... present. Fully absorbed in each line, each curve, each tiny decision about where to go next. The chatter in my head about not being good enough? Gone. Just me, the pen, the paper, and this unfolding moment.

Impermanence makes experiences precious. Yes, the joy I felt was temporary. The awe, the excitement - they'll fade like all feelings do. But mindfulness isn't about making emotions last forever. It's about being fully alive in them while they're here. I was so happy, so absorbed, so amazed at what was appearing under my hand - and I let myself feel all of it, knowing it would pass, which somehow made it even more beautiful.

The journey reveals itself one stroke at a time. I watched my art unravel like a blooming tulip - not forcing it, just allowing each pattern to lead to the next. There's something profound about creating without knowing exactly where you're going. Trusting the process. Following your intuition. Letting go of perfection and embracing discovery.

Looking at these two tiles now, I realize: I've arrived at something. I created art. Me, the person who "can't" do art. But this isn't really an ending - it's the beginning of a new journey of appreciating finer things, of seeing beauty in simplicity, of understanding that maybe my art ain't that bad after all.

I want to thank both my teachers, who were ever so assuring and patient. They led the way, and I just followed. The learning was immense. The experience was profound. And the memories? They continue to add strokes to the canvas of my life, creating patterns I never knew were possible.

Sometimes the things we think we can't do are just waiting for the right moment, the right approach, the right willingness to let go of our stories about ourselves.

What have you been telling yourself you "can't" do?

#Mindfulness #Zentangle #Presence #SelfDiscovery #Acceptance #CreativeJourney #ItsNeverTooLate #Gratitude

🌷  from Linda's desk @ Tulip Meadows 🌷