Surfing the Waves
of Change 

Learning to paint means learning to see the world with fresh eyes. It means looking closer at the world around us. It means looking deeper at the world within us.  

Then somehow, on the surface of the paper or canvas, we reconcile the inner and outer worlds.

For years my subject matter has been changing. Often this happens as a result of my outer world shifting, in large or small ways.

Change is inevitable. Change is a given. Change is universal. Those of us living on and near the big island of Hawai`i are especially aware of  change. There the physical world changes daily as Madam Pelé continues to erupt through the Kilauea volcano.

Why then does change take us by surprise when it happens? 

One small, almost imperceptible shift in our consciousness can trigger rumblings deep within, the ramifications of which remain unknown and unforeseen.

Slowly we begin to ask new questions of ourselves and we wait, watch, and listen for new answers to come forth.

It is important to develop a quiet patience and a deep trust at this stage. Let's not rush the answers. Patiently wait for the answers to come to us, for surely they will.

Answers will sneak up on us as we methodically go about our days looking ever closer, ever deeper for them. Surely a question asked is always answered.

So, ask good, open-ended questions. For example, ask, "What can I do to improve this painting?" Or, "What can I do differently?" Or, "What is missing in this composition?"

These same kinds of questions also work when thinking about our lives and our future. 

Continue to take the steps forward toward your goals. There is no standing still. You cannot go backwards; going backwards is an illusion. The rabbit, once out of the hat, doesn't jump back inside. Pandora's Box, once opened, doesn't neatly pack itself back up again.

Our choices pave the path before us. We must make the best choices with the options we have and keep moving forward, all the while trusting, watching, risk managing, and waiting for the path ahead to become more clear.