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Once in a while, a painting just seems to paint itself, and this is one of those. When I sat down in my studio to begin my daily painting, I had some leftover paint on my palette, so I just grabbed a handy gessoed panel and used the paint that was there to begin. Within a very short time, the horse appeared, and seemed to be floating in water. I quickly recognized it's significance. In the last few days, my family has been dealing with some pretty stressful situations...some of which I am able to help with, some I am not. My tendency is to want to help everyone, make things better, feel their pain. Such is the life of an empath, and it is easy to get overwhelmed with other people's pain and anxiety.

Over the last few years I have learned to protect myself while still being empathetic...and I try to live by the serenity prayer, "God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, Courage to change the things I can, And wisdom to know the difference."  Such simple words, but a challenge to actually live. I was tested this weekend, and then again this morning, not to get myself sucked into anxiety and drama, not to let my mind race off to worst case scenarios, not to feel guilty for not doing "enough".

This little painting seems to me to be a reminder, in the midst of chaos and drama, to come up for air and breathe.