Butterflys are free to swim

Original artwork by Judith Parsons Art 2017
It is created from a photograph of a diving mask.
I reflected the transamerican building in the mirrored lenses.
I will be swimming in the ocean and diving.
Let me know, if you are interested in purchasing a print.

There are synchronicity moments that catch me by surprise. Things you couldn’t make happen if you tried. Three different people in one day brought up the butterfly.

I was at a training session at the ymca and I had to swim laps, no big deal. I did the first 5 laps, then she asked us to do one more, the butterfly stroke. I laugh even as I write it, because that particular stroke is my WORST stroke. It kicks my rear end and exhausts me.

I started in, whip kicking my legs, and swinging my arms around and down, thumbs entering the water, arms long and extended. The first 3 arm strokes and breaths I am asking myself just to breath, the next arm and head moment I am asking myself NOT to breathe in water. It was a strange self-actualization moment. Me, the swim instructor instructing myself to stay focused and raise my head enough above the water not to take on water.

I made it,  I got to the end of the pool. However, my heart was beating like a crazy drum. I knew I was over exhausted and I needed to become stronger. It was time to get back into the pool 3 days a week and swim my mile.

I was telling my daughter about this realization with the butterfly stroke and she laughed, she had pulled the butterfly card that morning. We busted out laughing. The universe was taking us on notice, reminding us to re-evaluate and assess the stage we were in.

In Native American Medicine the lesson of the butterfly represents the four different stages of growth from the caterpillar to the fully grown exquisitely developed butterfly. We all are constantly growing, morphing, cocooning and unfurling our wings. Over and over again.

Then later that day, Ann, waving posted a gorgeous butterfly image reminding us to fly.

Then yesterday, I went to a scuba shop to purchase a mask, I want to swim in the ocean. I played with the art, creating an awesome design that incorporates my love of San Francisco and diving. I will be creating one of a kind prints from this art and you can purchase one.

We are all growing, changing, morphing and transforming. Is it time to wrap yourself in a cocoon of quietness, a time to asses your needs? Is it a time to step up your came and take challenging new classes, that might improve your job performance? Is it time to take that leap of faith and do what you have feared doing? Unfurling those wings, leaving the safety of what was to a new challenging place of potential?

Change is constant. Let the change be on your terms. You decide.

Can I make you breakfast?

Original art created by Judith Parsons Art 2017

First off…Life is good when you give your life some effort. Go to the grocery store and purchase your favorite breakfast ingredients. It can be bacon and crumpets, my favorite or granola and fresh fruit, or eggs, or whatever makes you think of your favorite all time breakky. (Yes, I spelled it incorrectly)

It is a glorious feeling to awaken extra early and put the kettle on, put the oven on to warm and make ones breakfast. It takes energy. Yep, it totally takes energy to make a breakfast. All too many mornings I have grabbed a banana and run out the door. Or skipped breakfast. 

And breakfast is important for one simple reason. YOU, are important enough to make something nice for you. Take time to cook. Take time to put ingredients together. Take the time to purchase the food. Admittedly, I have purchased food with intent to cook and the energy just was not there. Yep, I hear you, it is wasteful. And I felt bad with all the poverty out there. And I haven’t done it often. Back to point.

I totally love perfectly cooked thick pepper bacon cooked fabulously! Yes indeed! WhewWeeee! What a lovely way to start the day. And crumpets with melted butter, steamed in foil, then just a wee bit of peanut spread over those tiny holes. Yep, licking my lips just thinking about it.

The point really isn’t the food. It is taking the time to love yourself. Ann Watters (waving) posted on Facebook about loving yourself this year. And honestly, when you do, when you feel good about you, it changes everything. The energy comes back, and you start to sing and surprise yourself with your humming.

Then another lovely friend, Marietherese gave me the best tip of all time, say there words everyday: “Everything is happening perfectly.” It is from Susan Jeffers book, “Feel the fear, and do it anyway.” Life might not be exactly how you planned it. However, it is a work in progress. Personally, if it is perfect, then it is time to transition to the next realm. Life is messy sometimes, life takes effort and energy. However, every single day you can adjust your sails, make changes that you know will make the next day better.

Changes can be simple. Walk up a flight of stairs. Eat a fruit. Sing a song. What we do and what we say reflects back upon us. Stay positive. Let all the negative stuff go. Let the fear go. It isn’t helping any of us. Start with breakky.

Slurping my java. LOVE you guys! Have a glorious blessed day! 

Sail with me.

Original one of kind art
by Judith Parsons Art 2017

I just finished watching the movie “La-La-Land.” You must go see it! Sure it is corny, and if you know me, then you know—I love corny. It makes one think about alternative realities. 

It makes one believe in many parallel universes where many realities are happening at once.

It makes great sense. (sighing) To think: “If I had done this…then this would have happened…”

There are a million “what-if’s” in my life. Perhaps there are a million in your life. 

If only I had attended this, or made this decision, or decided to stay instead of go, if I had done this or that. Life is an endless list of ‘I wonder what would have happened if…’ the movie makes one look over your shoulder, back to the left of what was. 

Tonight as I watched the film I thought of my first love. How much he changed me, how much I needed his rescuing from my family. Perhaps I am alone in this, though, I think not, we all wanted someone to “rescue” us. I was born in a time when we still believed in the “knight upon a white horse.” I was one of the long haired innocent ones…smitten by his strength and his naive ideals.

We both were so young. Awh, to be young and naive. Not so innocent anymore. Let me bring you back to more recent years.

After hurricane Katrina, which destroyed many lives in New Orleans, we rebuilt and connected to new loves. I taught at Folsom Elementary school and also opened my studio to students on the weekend.

I had two brothers come over for private art lessons in my studio. I still connect with them via Facebook. (Waving) They propelled me into the sun. They really helped me find the art teacher-mentor in me. They were ready to soar. They created the coolest art EVER. We just “winged” it. We let the spirit move us and we created passionately for those hours we were together.

The best life is lived passionately!! (grinning)

At 50 I had the better late than never “ah-ha” moment. The time had come to finally do what I had always wanted to do. To become a real artist. I did not want to be the old woman in a rocking chair regretting that I had not tried to be more.

I took the chance on returning to art college.I unfurled my sails and found my highest self, here in San Francisco. I found my self upon the waters of life, all leading to now. Water is the “fountain of youth”, I teach swimming at Chinatown YMCA and am happiest when my little baby sharks find their “ah-ha” moment of buoyancy. 

Sure, I am wrapping my head around three dimensional technology and digital laser technology. In May, I will be finishing up my “Art Priestess Quest” and finding more regular income. Right now, I am open to all possibilities, magic and potential new ventures.

Maybe I can throw you into the sun and help you unfurl your wings. 

Life is “La-la-land” amazing. Thank you for reading. I treasure you!

Heaven is around the corner...

It has been a whirl wind holiday. It is my last holiday as a graduate student. Next year this time I will be working as an artist, perhaps writing for an artist magazine, or perhaps working with Pixar or Lucasfilms. The possibilities are endless and the miracles are manifesting as I type.

I was looking through some older Facebook memories when I happened across the photograph of me upon a ladder trying to stretch out a 65 foot sail that I had painted ages ago. That photograph got me thinking about painting a sail again and then I thought, why don’t I look into purchasing a sailboat?  Then a miracle happened, a friend who owns a sail boat in San Francisco saw the post and connected. They have a sail boat they are looking to sell. Maybe they will let me paint the sail and I can use that as part of my final thesis! Libby and Lawrence, can I paint your main sail and use that as a part of my final thesis?

Miracle? I think so.

That same man was the director at Academy of the Arts University and his wife also worked at the college. His connect with Star Wars was the pull that took me to San Francisco. My son who is a Star Wars fanatic drew me to the school because of his love for that film. 

“Use the force” seems to be happening all over the place!

Another exquisite energy, Marietherese, wrote the words in an e-mail that I used to create todays art. As soon as I read them I knew I had to make them into art. The painted image is a small part of a painting from MOMA. Marietherese and I both share the love of swimming and her muse manifested that art.

“People give up on everything.. Just when heaven is around the corner.” I love these words. God, the universe, what ever you want to call the source will speak to you and show you the lessons. God is smart that way. 

If you are a reader then your lesson will pop off the page in the written word, if you are dreamer then your lesson will occur to you in the middle of the night whilst you sleep. If you meditate then the lesson will come to you while you quiet your mind. Or perhaps if you are a reader of ramblings and scroll through notes, your lesson might appear here.

The lessons are in the connects. The connects are energy given and received. I was lucky enough to have an afternoon with Marietherese and to share thoughts and dreams with her. Her energy still is swirling about me, driving me to follow my truest dreams as an artist.

She doesn’t want me to secure a boring 9 to 5 job behind a computer all day. She wants me to find the perfect artist position. So I shall focus upon that force and awaken that dream and am excited to know that it is manifesting itself and coming toward me.

Have a blessed day! Expect miracles! 

Hurricane hawk of a woman.

Photograph taken at Shutters Inn - LA, CA
Judith Parsons Art

I have spent 2 days with an incredible hurricane of a woman. She is a wee woman physically, yet her spirit is immense! A hurricane of compassion and love. She spins with energy!!! To be in her presence is to be uplifted, you can not help but soar beside her. Just lift your arms out straight and you can catch the updraft of her loving energy and soar.

She has the courage to fly above the cloud layer. It is marvelous to be in the presence of someone so strong. She has conquered much and the universe has thrown much at her, asking her if she is strong enough to conquer more. She gets on with her best life, dancing and sashaying her hips as she journeys her fabulous quest.

It is who she is— a mentoring loving woman that wants everyone to see life from her eagle eye perspective. Yes, we all know it snows and rains, and she is wise enough to not be bothered by it. She is above the cloud layer.

The eagle of her has swooped down and lifted me above the cloud layer. I am carried gently in her talons, as the rivers below become snakes, zig zagging to the ocean. We are so high up and I am enjoying her wisdom.

Things happen in our life that are beyond our control….The hurricane and the eagle, what a force of life she is! We all have horrible things happen to us. A death of a loved one, which knocks the wind out of us.  Cancer, which devastates us, but it does not label us. One gets a cold; but one does not say “I have conquered a cold.” What a wise woman she is to know this.

Or, one gets slammed by a devastating hurricane— which takes everything we love away from us. One does not say: “That hurricane is why I am totally screwed up- I will fold up my tent and become a sad pitiful creature because of it.”  Yes! I have learned much from her! She is a towering wise gigantic light burning away all negativity, asking me to start over with a fresh innocent heart.

When I left her physically, my heart sank. I could feel the cold shadow of sadness seep in. And then I heard her voice whisper in my ear: “It is all happening perfectly.” That quote is from a book by Susan Jeffers.  I will be purchasing the book: “Feel the fear and do it anyway” .

Today is different from all the other days I have lived. I have met someone, just as enthusiastic and as crazy wild as I am. Thank you Terry for your amazing light, laughter and love. You have thrown me into the sun and I can trust in the unknown with you beside me. You are a remarkable energy! 

(The photograph is taken after talking about "safe words"- Thank you Terry for the ultimate assist. Your heart has helped heal so much.)