Don't panic, take a moment to reset

I look around at the news and my neighbors, we all seem to be holding our breath and waiting.  I am a day late posting this, which is strange considering how open my days seem to be.  My shows are cancelling as soon as they are finished jurying.  What that means is, I get a "Congratulations you are accepted into the 2020 show.  Considering the current health crisis, we have decided to postpone our show.  We will let you know when we will have it and give you the new dates."  Now since so many are doing this, there may be a very full dance card for me around say...... October?  How many shows in how many states can a girl dance with?

In the mean time, I am doing maintenance and spending a lot of time thinking about my priorities and where I want to be when we find our new normal.  Many of my friends are looking at the political climate and making some very serious decisions about their future.  Others are considering where our government is and questioning if we are all for one or one for all.  Conspiracy theorys abound from the origin of our ailment to government control.  Going to the grocery store for your once weekly alotment of freedom, makes me cry.  Everyone is dressed like they are preping for surgery or to rob the store.  So I paint the house and figure out things to do around home.

Friday, I drug out all of my art panels and shampoo'd them with carpet cleaning products.  It had needed to be done; and the only time I could do it, I was using them.  Checked my awning for holes and found new ways to sell my art.  Did you know that if you have 54 artists label where they live, people will drive by to see art on the lawn?  Wave from the street, enjoy the show.  Several got out and took a look while we did a social distancing dance.  I sold work, they got out of their house; win-win.  I also joined an online art show.  They actuall posted pieces of mine and other works as well, made some money there too.

Finally, all of my thinking came to this... I can wait for this "new normal" to pass and sort itself out.  We will ride the peaks and valleys of this pandemic, we will survive and come out the other side.  The earth will spin, the sun will rise and fall, and I will continue to make art.  That is what I want to do, and seeing those people come out for our "yard sale" made me want to keep doing it.  

Take the time, this time; this forced idle to consider and contemplate.  You may hate your job, you may love your job but you will have an opportunity to make decisions when we get back to work.  This time is a reset, take a chance and try for what you want.  Or, decide if what you have is what will make you happy.  It will all be alright, there will be equilibrium in the end and we will go on with our lives.  Until then, watch the sunset (or sunrise) and breathe because you have the time to do so right now