It is 2012 and the day is 3/4 of a way through already. Yesterday I completed my Book of Days. I was not sure where I was going. I had no plan and the major idea was just to enjoy myself by throwing myself into the creativity. It has been years since I messed around with craft glue, ribbons, beads and just general artiness. The afternoon flew by and I did not even notice time had flown by. I started putting together my physical book of days at lunch time yesterday and completed it by 7pm.
My Completed Book of Days 2012
This is one of the reasons that I signed up to create an art journal. I wanted to get my fingers full of craft glue and stained by crayon, ink and paint. There is a reason why children and dogs are so joyful which brings me to the subject of this post.
My New Year lessons come from Jazz – My Papillon pup. He is 18 months old but still has the boundless energy of a pup so to my mind he is still my pup.
Jazz is one of the happiest creatures I have ever come across. Every day when he bounds up onto my bed first thing in the morning so excited to have me awake and spend another day with him to the times when he impatiently pulls my hand away from the keyboard and reminds me that there is a real world that exists outside of my stories…I am reminded of a very important lesson…
Jazz - Playing tug-a-war with his Christmas reindeer and me
Play is as important as work in a balanced day. Sometimes you just have to get ridiculous and laugh and giggle. Having a blue day? Try stopping and make ridiculous faces, get someone else laughing or make yourself laugh. I learn this lesson every day from my pup Jazz. He makes me come out and play with him. He drags me to his leash to take him for a walk. He brings one of his many toys to me to throw or play tug-a-war with him.
Being creative yesterday by putting together my Book of Days reminded me of the days when I was 7 or 8 and one of my favourite activities was creating something in class. There is something freeing about getting craft glue stuck on your fingers and having your fingers stained by ink/crayon/paint.
Children and dogs have the right idea. Spend time playing. Make an art form out of it. I plan on “playing” a lot more this year. I think adults get so caught up with being respectable, mature and responsible that we also tend to forget that each of us still has a child in our heart that needs to be let out in play. Human beings are by nature playful and active. Don’t get so caught up in life that you lose your joy in simple play and ridiculousness.
More lessons your dog can teach you...Jazz ticks every one of these
So how are going to play today?
I dare you to play and not smile…Come on…
Prove me and Jazz wrong…What’s the worst that could happen? You could have FUN!
Or Prove me right and have a fantastic New Year’s day!
Related articles
- Hello 2012, The Year Of Contentment. (anobservantmind.wordpress.com)
- Memories, Dreams and Reflections (remembering 2011) (momphotographer.wordpress.com)
- Lesson Found at the Dog Run (lizawrites.wordpress.com)
- The 12 Days of New Things (ragrobyn.wordpress.com)
- “broken heats become brand new” – i promise (kaetan.wordpress.com)
