You Are So Much More (for my friend @girlbeforemirror)

in #colorwheelart7 years ago (edited)

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I went and got some art supplies the other day, because I wanted to make something for one of my friends. She is doing an art competition for her birthday, which she decided to invite all of us to celebrate with her HERE. I want to go ahead and clear this up, I'm not entering the competition to win money, but I wanted to enter it for another reason which I'll share below. I'm not going to get into anything that I don't think she'd want me to share, but it's good to remember that we are all fighting our own wars and sometimes others have no idea and don't consider the impact they have on us or that we have on them. I would encourage anyone that wants to understand what I'm talking about to read the post she made sharing her perspective on this situation HERE.


Truth be told it took me all week to even get started on this project. I wrote it off to procrastination and kept telling myself that drawing or visual art has just never been my thing. Well regardless of whether or not that is true, I have a lot of respect for @girlbeforemirror for many reasons, and some of you that have followed my posts from the beginning will probably understand just how broken I was when I started writing here. I was basically just done with caring about life and ready to phone it in. Well unfortunately I'm 30 years old and didn't seem to be dying very quickly and I was also contemplating suicide quite regularly. This isn't my favorite topic to discuss, but it's all here on the blockchain if you want to go back and read and see my progression through this journey. I've mentioned to her in the past that she was one of the people that helped me get past that and just this week she helped me break down yet another stupid limitation I had put on myself.

I messaged her and told her that I hadn't started on the color wheel project I had in mind because I felt like I would fuck it up. She told me, "Draw it. Who cares if you Fuck it up. I doubt you will. That ego you have been challenging, that's who cares, that is who will judge, no-one else will." It's funny because I can remember telling her very similar things in the past and it put things in perspective. Stepping out of our comfort zones and being real with people may feel uncomfortable some times, but it can also do something else. It can save a life, it can make someone feel like they matter, and it can help people find purpose in life. So I understand if you want to identify as a zebra, I can't tell you what to relate to and I can only try my best to express why I can't think of you as a zebra, which is simply put, that you are so much more than that. We are all so much more than labels and descriptions and assumptions and expectations. I'm glad to have met you, I wish you the happiest of birthdays, and I thank you for being a friend when I needed one the most. Please remember that you are so much more than any old zebra, if you're going to be a zebra, then you get to be a one of a kind unique rainbow zebra. <3

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Thank you lovely friend. I love it!

The zebra is beautiful x

There are so many hooved creatures. While the official rare disease mascot is the zebra, I think I'm more like this guy. 😜
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=SDeQT9zCvi4

Omg that video is hilarious. I'm glad you liked the zebra!

It's one of my sons favourite books.😂
I love it.

:)


You enrich the lives of many. Also, your Zebra is adorable!!This is lovely and one of the best kinds of birthday gifts! Happy birthday to @girlbeforemirror, I shall go check out her post! As for you, @clayboyn, you had already traveled from your darkest place when I came to steemit, so I have no first hand experience from that time, but since I've come to be here, I have seen your kindness, caring, humor and joy come more to life every day.

Thanks, sometimes it is easy to get lost in my head and forget what really matters. It's good to have people that actually care to remind me.

This is so honest and lovely. I loved the honesty in this post and the courage too. I have gone through a lot of ups and downs in my life and what kept me going was to believe in myself and that everything will soon be alright. You are right: we are more than labels and putting labels on ourselves and others is just a way of putting ourselves and others down. Just move past these labels and let yourself know you're amazing!

Thank you!

Wonderful zebra!
I wish I could be a kind rainbow zebra myself. :)

So this is what you were talking about :D I love it.

Right in the feels. Critical hit!

I learned her story when @merej99 put up a post about it, and after reading and watching videos and finally speaking with her I found her to be one of the bravest people I've ever known.

I love that you did this for her. I'm not much of an artist, but I'll definitely take a look at her contest and see what I can do.

Also, I put up the next playground episode

:)

Yay, and don't worry, I've completed 3 drawings that I can ever recall really doing and all of them have been within the last week or so for steem. I just try to remind myself that it's not about what I can't do, it's about what I'm going to do. After talking to her, I decided I was going to finish that drawing and it was just going to be whatever it was. It looks more like a zebra than I ever expected it to, lol. :)

It's an awesome zebra :) Man, I had something else I was going to say but it completely flew out of my head. It will probably pop back in my head when I'm driving somewhere or otherwise away from the computer lol.

I love your rainbow zebra! I too have been holding myself back from drawing. Used to love doing it as a kid. Every time I start to make an effort, something holds me back. It is absolutely absurd. Thank you for sharing your personal struggles. We all have them, and the more we realize there is no perfect, the happier we'll be.

Perfect imperfections and infinite reflections.

a total cool way to paint a zebra!

I love the way artist create and have decided to follow you

Love the rainbow zebra ^_^