You Have a Gift

As my husband and I were running errands the other day, we began to talk about Christmas and how the commercial aspect of the holiday seems to be taking over the reason for the season. We started thinking that we should initiate a tradition in our family to create more thoughtful gifts for each other. Whether it is simply by putting sincere thought into a purchased gift, or by going through the work of making our own gifts. I asked him what he thought of my artwork as a gift. Would family members and/or friends really appreciate a piece of original artwork as a gift? I would be thrilled to receive such a gift, but I wasn't sure about most of our relatives and friends. Would they appreciate the value of it? Would they understand the significance and the sacrifice that went into it? I wasn't sure.

Then my husband said something to me that really struck a chord. He said, "Dena, you have a gift that pulls on people's heartstrings. You need to use it!"

As usual, my husband is absolutely right. As an artist, I have been blessed with talents and gifts that not many people in the world possess. I have the power and ability to create paintings and images that will be significant and meaningful to others for the rest of their lives (and possibly for the rest of their children's lives as well). It would be a shame to waste my gift. I have something to offer the world and I have a responsibility to share it.