It is easy to love butterflies. It is easy to love babies. It is easy to love flowers, and puppies, and birdies, and pretty things...
(Sing like no one is listening - 2001)
It is so easy in fact that most people do love those things. A lot even.
But what about the less lovable things in life.
What about the warty, scary, scarred, ugly parts of life ?
Of people who we know ?
Of ourselves ?
Do those parts need less love ?
I think not ! I think that they in fact need more love
than the pretty, shiny, sweet parts.
Without love, those parts get uglier,
wart-ier, more scarred and scary.
But then, how do you really learn to love the UNLovable ?
(art journal page "Unlovable" - May 19, 2009)
I think you need to go slow.
Maybe you need to love one icky wart or deep, painful scar at a time...
After all, that ugliness, those scars, those warts, didn't appear all in one day.
And maybe, just maybe,
with a little more love and a little more time,
those scars, those warts, those scary, scared parts of life,
of people we know,
of ourselves,
can become ugly beautiful instead.
Kiss a warty toad part of yourself today ! Happy SP Wednesday, my Ugly Beauties !
This post was partly inspired by Life is a Verb by Patti Digh, p.134, "Love Unlovable People". Patti is coming to Deerfield, NH on June 2nd to read from her amazing, inspiring, lovely book and I will be there with bells on !
It is also inspired by Sheri Gaynor's Creative Awakenings, p.114 - The Toad Committee. Sheri encourages us to listen carefully to what the venomous toad parts of ourselves are yelling at us - their message may just be something we need to hear !)
15 comments:
Hi Kim,
WOW! I like your "unlovable" page, especially the dripp-y part on the right hand side. Also, the cropped pieces are very cool. I like your message too, it's a new perspective. Have a great day!
--Jane
oh Kim...what a fun post! I am finally being loved completely by my partner Matt, who decided not to understand me...just LOVE ME! and it works! and I love your "unfettered" comment! thanks!
Kim your post is so wonderful and inspiring!!! I am doing Patty's book right now too!!! She is amazing and I am totally jealous that you are going to meet her. Lucky! I am trying to love the yucky parts. They are a challenge for sure:) Love, Jamie
I too love this post, Kim. It's really creative and brings home the point. What a good reminder to love ALL of ourselves, even the parts that others may criticize and rip apart. I read this first thing today and it was a great inspiration. Love, O
Love this post. It's hard, isn't it? I think I'll go hug myself.
You always know how to hit the nail on the head...love the warty unlovable things one at a time (I'm paraphrasing), but yes, I believe if we start with one thing, the others follow along.
Love the portrait (I can hear you singing!) and the journal page is bold!!
Have a happy Wednesday!!
Hi Kim, You're singing like little kids do, with total abandon & joy. Good job!
about that loving ugly parts of muself, not so sure I can, but i will think about it.
Happy days,
Joanie
Gorgeous page and some words on exactly what I need to hear right now... feeling quite un lovvable so I am starting with a LITTLE toe and working on.... thanks..
Very very cool post! I got to hear Patty in Reston, VA, and you know that I love her book! It's inspired a LOT of art, including those postcards. Give her a hug for me, okay?
This is AMAZING!!! I love the page and the message...so needed right now :) Beautiful, just beautiful.
You are beyond talented, Kim! This is so soul moving and I suppose we have traded mantras for the day because I will certainly be repeating this one :)
Interesting, how you are working the beauty/ugly in your work. It's really all the same, isn't it? Thanks for sharing the detail in the wart-y piece. At a first glance I didn't see it all. I am thrilled for you to be able to see Patti Digh.
Hey Kim,
Awesome post... love what you've done with the images and the words... all of which are very much heartfelt and speak to me. You are such a beautiful lady! xoxo
Right on, Kim! Right ON! :)
You're such a cutie! Completely loveable. Wonderful artwork, too!And we have yet another synchronicity here: I just started doing that mirror image exercise - where you're supposed to tell yourself "I love you" each time you catch your image in a mirror. Feels so weird, and more than a little embarrassing, even though no one is looking.
Kim how very powerful this post is! I'll be going to the Lazy Lion too. It will be great, not to mention the food is too!
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