To the Friends I have not neccessarily met

Lately I've been thinking a lot about what I want to say on this blog.  I have started about 24 posts, not all of them are viable, some never will be, but that's OK --it's part of the creative process. I have several ideas I want to put together.  You see, I often use this format to clear out my thoughts.  And it's rather nice to have a place to post these thoughts, to unseen and unknown friends out there in the Ethernet.  I sometimes feel as if I know some of you.

I also have the artwork to think about.

The picture for today is an art card I made for a swap.   The person liked elephants, so I tangled an elephant for her.  Some of my artwork is from a long time ago, some is from today, just like the postings themselves.  (I am not above cannibalizing my own work.)  I look over what Pictures I have of my work, sometimes tying the art to the words, sometimes not.  Then, in a leap of faith, I post it here, for anyone to see.

Zentangled Elephant - Art Card

It was not always so.  I used to do lots of artwork but not show it to anyone, not even my husband.  I literally would put it in a closet and never look at it, unless it was in secret.  I guess I thought it wasn't good enough or something.  The same for my words.  I would write things down and squirrel them away, never even thinking about letting others read them.

I am not alone in this peculiarity.  I find there are many of us who keep our talents hidden.  We may be shy, or think our work is not worthy, or just not ready to share something so intimate as a part of ourselves.

I was fortunate to have a husband who encouraged me and friends who actually took some of my work and framed it for a show.  Not all of us are that lucky.  But some of us have found our voice here, on the Internet.  We blog.

I have several blog sites that I visit daily, friends I haven't met, artists that I enjoy.  There are doodlers and tanglers, poets and thoughtful folks, funny folks, folks from my country, folks from far away.  Once in a while, a blog will touch us and we are reminded that no matter where we are, no matter our politics or religion, we are brothers and sisters on this planet,  all part of the variety of what it means to be human.

I think I want to say 'Thank You', to the Internet which connects us, to the folks who visit here, to those whose blogs I visit regularly, to those brave enough to share part of themselves with strangers, who are really just friends, waiting to happen.