If you live in RI and are seeking a photographer I highly recommend John (http://www.johnpitocco.com/Welcome.html). I have known him for 7 years and have had the pleasure of working with him on a number of projects.
The key to any successful shoot is first and foremost being comfortable in your own skin. It’s important to have your head in the game and to enjoy the process.
It’s always great when you can work with someone who you feel comfortable with. It’s not always possible especially if you are hired for a job and have never even met the photographer. So once again, I find it is up to me to be in a happy place no matter who the photographer is.
Everyone sees the world differently. It is up to me as a model to help bring about the vision of the shoot. Every shoot should tell a story, every picture should have interesting value to it.
There is something special about Providence. The history is rich, the culture is varied, and the hope of it’s future is in the hearts and minds of those who would take interest in preserving and enhancing it’s greatest features.
Fine art photographers have an eye for the beauty in the broken parts of a city. Leave it to the artists to make something beautiful out of something that has fallen into rubble.
I am a woman who values my part in this state, in this community. For my part I have almost entirely dedicated my life to my family and to the creative and performing arts.
I can remember when the city looked nothing like this. It’s up to those who love her to make her shine in the eyes of the world. Rhode Island has many points of destination for visitors. South County and the beaches are spectacular and many come to spend time there. But equally as important is the city of Providence, rich with it’s universities and museums, it’s restaurants and it’s night life. Can anyone remember Providence without Waterfire? It’s part of who we are now.
My hope is that many more of us will make our creative mark in this state. It’s a very expensive state to live in for a variety of reasons, more so than almost any other state. This is the hard part on all of us, I am sure. Lots to think about as I look through the photos and think of this place.
I am originally from Cincinnati and have lived in Colorado and Massachusetts and even a moment in Texas. I have lived here now for more than 30 years, so I am officially a Rhode Islander. I love traveling but I love coming home as well. And I enjoy the people I get to work with. I think a lot of people I know have a vision for this state. I ponder all these things I do, and my many life experiences and I remain hopeful for the future.
The Sarah Hale Folger Project seeks to inspire greatness in humanity by sharing inspiring stories with the world. Please contact me here on my blog or through my website at http://www.SarahHaleFolger.com
Sarah Hale Folger is a Creative Consultant, Blogger, Artist & Singer. PLEASE make sure to subscribe to my blog today so you never miss the next thing happening in the world the way I see it! Please feel free to comment, share and subscribe to my blog!!! Thanks!!
Who is Bert Crenca? He is an amazing man who has changed the culture in Providence for over 30 years. Bert is an artist and also the founder of AS220, a non-profit arts organization located in Providence that has enriched the lives of many over the years. The fascinating story of AS220 is currently being created into a documentary film and you can visit their website for more information on this ground breaking non-profit at https://as220.org/ But although we discussed Bert’s role in the creation of AS220, it was not the purpose of my interview. I wanted to hear much more, I wanted to hear the story of Bert’s life and what has made him become who he is. I wanted to know what was coming next for him now that he has retired from AS200 leaving a legacy behind him.
I met Bert at his studio with my crew and we spent the better part of two hours just living in the moment while Bert shared his intimate thoughts on life, the role art plays in community, stories about his incredible life, and the time just flew by. Bert’s heart was so big, and it had room for all of us.
I can’t wait until the video is edited and we get it up on my YouTube page (Sarah Hale Folger) As I told Bert, I am on my own new adventure and although I have several interviews lined up, I was hoping in my heart that he would be the first for my new video show “The Sarah Hale Folger Project.” I have followed the story of AS220 for over 25 years and I have felt a kinship with Bert in so many ways as our paths were on similar tracts so often. It only seemed right that someone whose work I have admired for so long should be my first interview for my new show.
It became apparent that Bert’s art will play a major role in his life moving forward. Bert has won awards and been invited to the White House to speak based on his work at AS220. Bert has also given a TED Talk. Here is the link to the YouTube channel https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tD-T4LIddtE
And there is another thing Bert and I share, our love for creating music. Bert has a group called Monkee Head which I hope to hear at some point soon!!
As we bounced around from room to room we ended up at Bert’s wife’s studio (her name is Susan Clausen) and she is just as creative as Bert and the two of them continue to be a dynamic duo in both the fine arts and through their music.
What I found most incredible about Bert was his humanity. Bert is a man trying to make a difference in the world and I believe he is succeeding.
Bert’s quest to create peace and harmony in a world gone mad is incredibly inspiring!
In Bert’s retirement from AS220 one of his future quests is to take the time to showcase his art in a one man show somewhere in New England. Right now he is completing a series to go in downtown Providence. With this series, Bert hopes to inspire people to hold on to the value of the human soul. Bert also has a political side to him as an advocate for arts and culture. His philosophical view of the world is ever striving to find ways to create space for people to be happy and free.
We haven’t heard the last of Bert, in fact, this is a new beginning and I am pretty sure that even Bert has no idea what’s coming in his future. Just like when he spoke out over 30 years ago in favor of artists having space to create and grow and thrive, I am sure that he will stumble upon something unexpected that will bring inspiration to many.
Mostly, for my part, I want to see his art speak. He is a fighter for justice and freedom. I hope karma gives back abundantly to him as he follows his heart.
Be on the look out for the video featuring Bert coming soon on the Sarah Hale Folger Project. www.SarahHaleFolger.com
The Sarah Hale Folger Project seeks to inspire greatness in humanity by sharing inspiring stories with the world. Please contact me here on my blog or through my website at http://www.SarahHaleFolger.com
Sarah Hale Folger is a Creative Consultant, Blogger, Artist & Singer. PLEASE make sure to subscribe to my blog today so you never miss the next thing happening in the world the way I see it! Please feel free to comment, share and subscribe to my blog!!! Thanks!!
I always love working with the talented Mr John Pitocco. His shoot took us to downtown Providence where the possibilities were endless for photos.
But before I got started I stopped at Mary Janes Salon at 1270 Mineral Spring Ave. in North Providence where the lovely ladies both the owner and beautician Tori Chipman totally spruced me up for the event! Thank you ladies for the incredible hospitality that this salon offers it’s clients!!!
Behind the lens of John Pitocco of Johnpitoccophotography.com we embarked on a fun-filled adventure walking the streets of Providence and seeing the world from an artists’ point of view.
I love this photo because it gives me a sense that an artist can still have a perspective that counts in a world where politics dictate so many outcomes. We the people, we have hearts that want to speak too, and in fact have wisdom and grace to offer.
When a photo like this is taken a woman might start to believe the world is her oyster!
Never neglect the eagle pose when the notion strikes to engage in it! Balance and focus always win the day!
I cherish good friends who make work seem like play!
What a beautiful day in Providence. Come on summer, we are all ready for you!
Choose today which way you will face. Will it be towards the future? Don’t look back! How fun it was to be in an empty parking garage, just hanging in the present.
At every turn an adventure awaited for those with eyes to see.
At the end of it all it was a great fun day with lots of work done. Providence has a special charm to it. It’s a unique city which I am happy to live near. So much potential. It made me wonder where this city will be in 5 or 10 years, where will I be? For now, I am just happy to be here!
I would love to have you continue with me as I explore new topics and places and people. Please subscribe to my blog and follow me as I pursue my passions.
The Sarah Hale Folger Project seeks to inspire greatness in humanity by sharing inspiring stories with the world. Please contact me here on my blog or through my website at http://www.SarahHaleFolger.com
Sarah Hale Folger is a Creative Consultant, Blogger, Artist & Singer. PLEASE make sure to subscribe to my blog today so you never miss the next thing happening in the world the way I see it! Please feel free to comment, share and subscribe to my blog!!! Thanks!!
(Hot pink Dress $6 🙂
When you don’t have a large budget and you want to buy new clothes there is always an option for you! When I was a teen my mom and I knew where all the second hand/ vintage clothing shoppes were in Cincinnati. In fact, in many ways, I was known for my unique style and original look. Well that’s what happens when you combine a 1920’s dress with combat boots! I remember meeting a girl once who said; “You’re that girl!! The one I see on campus! I love the way you dress, how do you do it?”
(Yellow shirt $3 / White jeans were $8 🙂
The truth is, I don’t think a lot about it. I go by feel when I put clothes together. In other words, if it gives me a positive emotional response, I just go for it. I don’t know, nor do I care what’s trending. I’m so in my own world that keeping up with the Jones’ never applied to me. Hey, trust me, I love a lot of designer clothing, I just can’t always afford it. When I respond emotionally to clothes, jewelry, boots, shoes, purses or what have you, it doesn’t matter who made it or how much it costs, if I like it I buy it.
I’ve been doing some 50-Plus modeling shoots lately and wanted to have more options at my disposal, so why pay top dollar? Last week I went to two second hand stores and got some great clothes and didn’t pay more than $12 for anything, and mostly I paid around $3 an item. The hot pink dress above was only $6.00 The yellow shirt was $3 and the white jeans were $8. Can’t beat that!
(The grey dress below was only $5 :_)
So go have some fun and see what’s out there. The cool thing is someone who has great things but has not fit in them in years may have just dropped them off at a second hand store. Believe me, some secondhand stores are pricey and others that focus on charitable work are NOT. It’s fun and you may be super surprised at how lucky you get!
Happy Shopping!!
The Sarah Hale Folger Project seeks to inspire greatness in humanity by sharing inspiring stories with the world. Please contact me here on my blog or through my website at http://www.SarahHaleFolger.com
Sarah Hale Folger is a Creative Consultant, Blogger, Artist & Singer. PLEASE make sure to subscribe to my blog today so you never miss the next thing happening in the world the way I see it! Please feel free to comment, share and subscribe to my blog!!! Thanks!!
The arts in any culture are what bind people together. You don’t even have to like someones art to engage in looking at it and or experiencing it. The arts are so vast in expression and form that without some people even knowing it, they are actually artists themselves.
Art is painting, sculpting, photography, printmaking, music, theater, film, dance, literature and more. Even the intentional gardener or cook, the interior designer and the crafts of pottery, woodworking and metal working are all forms of art. How about those who produce fashion, make-up and hair design? How those things are done matter to each of us as we are drawn to beauty, style and something that gives us an emotional connection. Need I go on and on? The fact is, some of these practices are fine art, some are crafts, some are visual, some are performing, but they are all ART!
Art can be controversial stirring up the depths of people’s passion for, or against it. It has a certain power to compel us to hope, heal, believe, stand in wonder, change the way we see the world or even the way we believe! We all seek it out when we read a book, go to a movie or place a painting on our wall, not just any painting, the one we search for till we just know it’s the one! How about the song that gets stuck in your head or you play it when you need to shift your mood? It’s all art, and we emotionally need it.
Wikipedia states in part, that; “Art is a diverse range of human activities in creating visual, auditory or performing artifacts (artworks), expressing the author’s imaginative or technical skill, intended to be appreciated for their beauty or emotional power.[1][2] In their most general form these activities include the production of works of art, the criticism of art, the study of the history of art, and the aesthetic dissemination of art.”
In the arts, disagreement is accepted and even sought after at times. Both the one who creates and the one who views or digests the art are in collaboration with one another. Because of this, the community created by the arts becomes a great source of inspiration without which society withers on the vine and dies. Think about the poets who have read at inaugurations, the musicians who have played on the world stage, and painters whose murals cover the ceilings of historical architectural masterpieces. People of every tribe and nation, every tongue and color all seek the beauty and the story the art tells. The impression that art leaves on our souls lasts forever and is always growing as we partake each day of new art, old art, inspiring art.
The thing about art that makes it essential is that everyone is right. Art is emotional and feelings are neither right nor wrong, they just are. Everyone creates what they want or consumes what they like. There really shouldn’t ever be judgement of art because it’s a pointless pursuit. However because by it’s sheer nature art causes passion. When one loves a certain kind of music he may also hate another type of music. How can this be? There is no accounting for taste, for what soothes the soul or what inspires it or even what bores or frightens it. Art can be as polarizing as politics or religion in the context of friendly banter, but it seldom ever separates, rather it provides a necesary outlet for human discourse.
Practicing artists whether professionals or hobbyists are constantly seeking for the next new idea. They tend to be rule breakers and they hate to be boxed in by the wants or needs of others. They are an essential link between what has happened and what will. When in their creative process, they tend to forget about time, not care about the common worries that consume pragmatists and those who walk the treadmill of matrix living. In this sense they are fearless and yet once they have created and open themselves up to the world for view, they become vulnerable to the terror of judgement, wanting their souls work to be cherished. Round and round we go in society, the giving and the taking, of creating and consuming, we live for this. The truth is without an audience the artist is lonely. And someone has to keep the order so others can color the world and make it beautiful or meaningful. We each have our times to shine. Obviously some people are more constant in creating art while others more constant at maintaining a platform for society.
We need each other. Wikipedia offers in part that Culture (/ˈkʌltʃər/) can be defined in many different ways. In the words of anthropologist E.B. Tylor, it is “that complex whole which includes knowledge, belief, art, morals, law, custom and any other capabilities and habits acquired by man as a member of society.”[1] Alternatively, in a contemporary variant, “Culture is defined as a social domain that emphasizes the practices, discourses and material expressions, which, over time, express the continuities and discontinuities of social meaning of a life held in common.”[2]
If you take art out of society or the world, you reduce the value of existence. The potential of happiness and self discovery is diminished, and I would offer up, there is no life without it. If you add more art into a community, a society or nation you will effectively increase the value of life on every level.
My passion for the arts has been pulling at my heart for a while now. I have not been involved as I once was. My passion for singing, making music with others, painting in solitude and so many other forms have been dormant as I have tended other essential parts to living. And the truth is, without art front and center, my happiness cannot be achieved. I started this blog because I wanted to write. I always wanted to write my stories from the heart to sort of document my life, so in this sense I am opening the door for myself. I have started and stopped painting again, and now I can feel the call to go back in. I know we have seasons in our lives. Just like winter, fall, spring and summer, they will repeat themselves.
I look forward to the opening in my heart which is expanding my mind. I am encouraged by the art I see all around me. Don’t stop believing in the art in you. We must also celebrate continually what we sometimes take for granted, and that is the art all around us. The point of this blog is to thank those of you who never stop driving us all forward through your art, and also to bring awareness to the total value of art in our lives. It is a case for increasing the attention and validation to those who give themselves to the practice of art, for in so doing, you are saving society, one creation at a time.
The Sarah Hale Folger Project seeks to inspire greatness in humanity by sharing inspiring stories with the world. Please contact me here on my blog or through my website at http://www.SarahHaleFolger.com
Sarah Hale Folger is a Creative Consultant, Blogger, Artist & Singer. PLEASE make sure to subscribe to my blog today so you never miss the next thing happening in the world the way I see it! Please feel free to comment, share and subscribe to my blog!!! Thanks!!
The Sarah Hale Folger Project seeks to inspire greatness in humanity by sharing inspiring stories with the world. Please contact me here on my blog or through my website at http://www.SarahHaleFolger.com
Sarah Hale Folger is a Creative Consultant, Blogger, Artist & Singer. PLEASE make sure to subscribe to my blog today so you never miss the next thing happening in the world the way I see it! Please feel free to comment, share and subscribe to my blog!!! Thanks!!
I spent a few days at my friend Tory Corey’s store in Jamestown, R.I. this week, and it was just delightful! You know the saying, walk a mile in another’s shoes…. Well, I was so proud to be taking care of Tory’s beautiful store; Fuller Art and Frame Gallery while she was away with her best friend and husband in Florida for a few days.
Everyone that came through the door was wonderful. It was a charmed few days of meeting and greeting both the locals and the visitors to the island. To be honest with you, after spending time there, I would love to move there. However, I live in the beautiful seaside town of Wickford, RI, a mere 15 minutes drive away, so I am one blessed woman!!!
While I was here I said, “well heck Tory’s store is so beautiful and it was so gorgeous outside why not shoot some video for my brand and to market her store”. Here is a photo taken by Vic Pichette my partner. Notice the beautiful fine art in the windows behind me? Yeah just saying, great local artists showcase their work at Fuller Gallery.
And of course, this is me being silly. So well, we did a fun video to show you what I am doing with video marketing, which is my new business. Check it our by clicking HERE. While you are there, please subscribe to my new YouTube Page. By the way, I want to collaborate with you, so please leave comments and I will share them with my growing audience. Just to let you know, the below image is called a social media image or meme, and we can create them for your brand.
The weather here in RI is finally beautiful enough to take a walk and actually enjoy it without your eyes watering and freezing yourself to the bone. Ahh, here we go!
Once I got home we took a walk outside. I thought to myself, I get to see this beautiful sight anytime I want and It’s by my driveway. Whose got it better than this? Last night when I came home there were deer all around me. I got out of my car and walked to my apartment with several deer less than 20 feet from me. I felt connected to the universe, life is good!
So I realize that everyday is a gift so precious that it must be cherished. Daily I am connected to amazing people who inspire me, and I am so grateful that I am here on the planet at such a time as this. Many sorrowful things have occurred recently to people I love; death, illness and the like. I myself have traveled through such waters and I know this stream, it’s underground currents drive us forward with a force to be reckoned with. And I must say, I live for simplicity! Enjoying the moment, gratitude for every little thing I can enjoy! It may be a great meal shared with friends, a song that comes on the radio in traffic, or a phone call from an old friend. If I could say anything to anyone, I would say, “please don’t miss your special moments”! It’s there all around you, beauty to be savored.
Hugs and hope for us all!
The Sarah Hale Folger Project seeks to inspire greatness in humanity by sharing inspiring stories with the world. Please contact me here on my blog or through my website at http://www.SarahHaleFolger.com
Sarah Hale Folger is a Creative Consultant, Blogger, Artist & Singer. PLEASE make sure to subscribe to my blog today so you never miss the next thing happening in the world the way I see it! Please feel free to comment, share and subscribe to my blog!!! Thanks!!
Wow, what a wonderful day Sunday, April 2nd, 2017 was!
We took off for The Port of Galilee, which is a quaint little fishing port located in Narragansett, Rhode Island for a little sun and fun, considering it has been so cold to start this year’s spring. It was a whopping 55 degrees, and we, my man and I, were dying to get out.
When we got there, most of the people were down near George’s, which is a staple restaurant/bar in Galilee. We finally got outside, we started shooting with our camera’s, and taking in the sun and relative warmth.
If you haven’t been to Galilee I think you’re missing out. Rhode Island is actually quite the tourist destination and when it isn’t cold outside it is a privilege to live here.
Galilee is an authentic working New England fishing village and has a great selection of seafood restaurants, shops, a local hotel, and is close to two State Beaches, Roger Wheeler, Salty Brine and ten minutes away is Narragansett Beach. The Port is also home to many charter fishing vessels, a sightseeing tour, and it’s also a major hub for year round ferry service to Block Island, with the Block Island Ferry.
The next 2 photo’s are not mine but I took them from the internet to show you exactly what I am talking about!! (BTW, I can’t wait to board the Block Island Ferry this spring and summer to go to the island and experience paradise! It really is so beautiful here in Rhode Island!
One of the greatest little secrets of Galilee is the lobster boats docked along the pier that have fresh lobsters and fish fresh from the ocean. You just park your car, walk up to any boat and they will hand you fresh seafood. It’s Simply Amazing!
When you turn into Galilee you can’t miss the great Block Island Ferry Boats ready to take people to Block Island. The owners are friends and do an amazing service for such a small fee.
Did I mention George’s? Well we couldn’t resist a drink in the upstairs bar where there was live music.
All around are cute eateries, bars, restaurants and cool little stores.
We pulled over on the way out and took some nature shots! It felt so good to be outside and around nature that we couldn’t help but feel invigorated!
A shot into the water world!
The view is so inspiring, that if it were a little warmer I would have sat down for some plein aire drawing with my sketch book!
I am a tree lover and this tree was so sweet I wanted to hug it!!! (I’ve been stuck in the house too long! LOL)
Just to think, this one beautiful expression of nature made it through winter and is looking MARVELOUS, Darling!!!
No coats today! We are so close here in New England to shedding all of our sweaters!!
Ahhh- now I love when I stop to find little gems of nature. This is so fulfilling to me. Today is raining and cold so just looking at these photos from Sunday gives me patience.
So my friends! Here’s to contentment in the small moments of life! I love sharing them with you!
Please subscribe to my blog and let’s keep in touch!!!
Peace in the little moments!
The Sarah Hale Folger Project seeks to inspire greatness in humanity by sharing inspiring stories with the world. Please contact me here on my blog or through my website at http://www.SarahHaleFolger.com
Sarah Hale Folger is a Creative Consultant, Blogger, Artist & Singer. PLEASE make sure to subscribe to my blog today so you never miss the next thing happening in the world the way I see it! Please feel free to comment, share and subscribe to my blog!!! Thanks!!
I love Einstein! In fact I admire his tenacity so much that he is one of my top picks for people from history who have inspired me. I painted this portrait of him in my quest to create portraits of people who have motivated me to move out of my stagnancy into striving towards my passions. Why did I paint it like this? LOL, well, it shows you how warped my brain is LOL. The short version is because I create in an unstructured unplanned way. As I meditated on the lessons his life spoke to me, I sort of just lost myself in whatever emotion passed through me. But as I focused on his face, I began to feel the labor intensify to try to be accurate and perfect, and immediately my response was to get frustrated with feelings of perfectionism and fears of failing. So I shifted how I was painting. I didn’t want to be perfect, I just wanted to be expressive, so why was I getting tripped up in the first place? I lost my stream of inspiration so I made a quick move to grasp my original intent. I laid down my brush and grabbed purple paints and started squeezing them on the giant canvas (approx. 4’x4′). I did this fast and furiously, intending to eliminate the entire thing as I slashed through it. As I started painting with my hands I began to feel the emotions rushing through me. I purged my sense of self judgement and after intending to go completely abstract, something inside of me stopped and I pulled back from painting. I went and washed my hands and made a cup of tea and left it for the day, wondering if I would ever complete it.
It wasn’t until the next morning when I revisited the painting that I discovered Einstein’s eye peeking out at me through all that abstraction, and I realized I wanted to bring him back. The only recognizable part was his blurred eye. Einstein would never give up once he had a gut instinct about something and I was not going to give up either! I conquered my stagnation! Inspired by Einstein, I refused to throw up a white flag. The only surrendering I was going to do was to surrender the thought to quit!
Here are a few Albert Einstein Quotes.
“Anyone who has never made a mistake has never tried anything new”
“Imagination is more important than knowledge. For knowledge is limited to all we now know and understand, while imagination embraces the entire world, and all there ever will be to know and understand.”
“Life is like a bicycle, to keep your balance you must keep moving.”
Einstein had a learning disability. At least that’s what the world of academia said about him. But he saw the world unconventionally and I am so glad he never bought into the going standard of accepted intelligence. Who can measure such a thing as the potential of a mind anyway? The education system if used improperly can cater to people who learn by only certain methods, leaving others to be labeled as “less than”. But we are each of us unique and constantly evolving, how can that be measured?
I thank God Einstein was tenacious throughout his life, and when faced with all kinds of criticism, he persevered with his theory even when he was the only one who could see and believe what he knew in his heart to be true. Conventional physicists had stagnated and accepted theories as fact and that was something Einstein refused to do. He would not accept stagnation in science or in himself. His passionate drive was enough to drive him forward against the tide of popular belief. He also surrounded himself with others who were willing to go to great lengths to boldly try to help him prove what no one on the planet knew yet.
I believe we all have a little genius in us, those moments when we just know what we know. So often we give up before we have any proof. Others doubt us, and we then doubt ourselves. There is no better moment then this moment in time to reach for fulfilling those theories deep in our hearts that we want to prove. Who knows what undiscovered talents each of us possesses? So goodbye to rigid thinking that does not serve to inspire hope! With a lot of rewarding hard work, lets go for our personal genius!
The Sarah Hale Folger Project seeks to inspire greatness in humanity by sharing inspiring stories with the world. Please contact me here on my blog or through my website at http://www.SarahHaleFolger.com
Sarah Hale Folger is a Creative Consultant, Blogger, Artist & Singer. PLEASE make sure to subscribe to my blog today so you never miss the next thing happening in the world the way I see it! Please feel free to comment, share and subscribe to my blog!!! Thanks!!
Shock, disappointments, and circumstances beyond our control, how do we deal with them? When loved ones die, or love dies, or love cannot be found no matter how hard we reach to find it, it is then we must realize that the only hope is to find love within ourselves. Some may reach for a God to heal, and others to other means, but ultimately it is the choices we make along each step that frees our souls. Nothing “out there” is responsible for what we believe and how we act on those beliefs. I hate death, it’s so shocking and final, yet it comes to everyone and every living thing must die. We all know this is true, but none of us want to accept it. It is our survivor instinct, our fight or flight instinct that rises up when we are faced with the inevitable of someone we love being snatched from us when we aren’t ready. But we will never be ready to let someone go so easily when they are so much a part of us. One day I will die, and leave those who love me behind. With this knowledge, I seek to love those around me with all my heart and thereby being able to pass on something to them that will live in them when I am gone. After the initial shock of my death, if it is shocking, I want my children, grandchildren and the others whom I love, to be able to smile and laugh as they remember me. I am setting about to live my life to the fullest so ultimately the story that was my life will be inspiring and full of love. Only coping and dealing with fear and pain, and overcoming them, and deciding to choose love and healing can establish this legacy.
This week two people in my life died suddenly and without warning. And at the same time, a most precious woman who has always been my second mother, is under Hospice care, and it’s almost time for her to depart from here. I am challenged now to walk the talk, to be happy in the face of such sadness. I feel the tearing of my heart, as the fight or flight knocks on my door. But I know now, after dealing with all the death of loved ones in my life that this is all a part of life. I do not want to treat death like an evil invader to be fought. I do not profess to be good at this, but I am choosing at this time to see all the beauty that these people who have passed on have given the world. I am honored to have known them and to have been touched by their light.
I reach out to them and all those who have gone before me, and I say thank you for just being who you were. I love you all for it. I am a better person for having been touched by your lives.
There are other kinds of deaths as well, including divorce and friendships that after break ups have a similar effect on the human soul. Loss of pets, jobs, hopes, dreams, and homes, these things challenge us to the core and we must grieve them. Oh the hot tears and the inconsolable moments and the nights when sleep runs away from us faster than a locomotive, these things we often must bear. These gut wrenching moments I have suffered through have brought me to where I am in the here and now.
So how can I talk about happiness, when so much sadness abounds and in so many ways the world is in turmoil? I can only say that it is because of knowing that at any time, and at any moment, it could all be over that I strive even harder to be happy. I was not always able to live like this, in fact it is a new habit of mine to practice happiness.
I want to write a disclaimer here. I am not always thrilled with the stress of life, in fact the grind of it can be quite debilitating. But I am determined to look for, seek out, and focus on the parts of daily life that cause me joy or gratitude.
I want to share this poem I wrote and attached to one of the photographs I took in Siesta Key Florida last year while with Gates and Kathy, my second parents. I was going through a divorce from a 30 year marriage, and I was so lost I did not think I could ever get my bearings again. After many days of insomnia, I sat up in my bed tired of crying, worrying I was losing my mind, and I wrote this. As soon as I finished it, I laid down and slept. I don’t know why, but I have discovered that whenever I am in pain I must create something like a song or a painting, and then I am able to be released from the pain and experience hope, peace and even joy. That is how I started this blog and believe it or not, it’s when I started really getting happy.
So here is my poem or whatever you want to call it. I hope that if you are struggling in emotional pain that this will inspire you.
So, to those of you who are letting go of those who must go on, my heart goes out to you. I am so sorry for the families of the friends I lost this week and I am aching knowing there is not much time for Kathy. I know that Kathy has the most loving and adoring husband and her children and grandchildren have been so blessed and have so much love for her. I am heartbroken. Yet I suspect that those who have gone or are leaving us, want us to be happy about the love they gave us!
I want to send you my dear Kathy, a giant hug and lots of love! I am not with you as you make this transition, but if you could see my soul it would be thanking you for all your love and all the memories!
Even though I have tears, I am so thankful for those I love and how their spirits touch mine!
I celebrate the lives of all my loved ones who have passed. I have a feeling this makes them happy!
The Sarah Hale Folger Project seeks to inspire greatness in humanity by sharing inspiring stories with the world. Please contact me here on my blog or through my website at http://www.SarahHaleFolger.com
Sarah Hale Folger is a Creative Consultant, Blogger, Artist & Singer. PLEASE make sure to subscribe to my blog today so you never miss the next thing happening in the world the way I see it! Please feel free to comment, share and subscribe to my blog!!! Thanks!!