A cottage in the woods
Hurricane Katrina was a transforming experience for thousands of people who found themselves displaced against their will. Many were forced to leave behind the place they called home, like myself. I was lucky to find a temporary location to settle, in the middle of a beautiful wooded area in Long Island, N.Y.
The stage inspired me to seize the opportunity to build on my painting skills and use the entire location as my canvas. It was the beginning of an unexpected chapter in my life. The unforgettable friendships that were formed, awakened an understanding about how any place we find ourselves is really a microcosm of the entire universe.
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A question to ask oneself
What can you do, when all of a sudden, the place that kept the story of your life, your memories, tresures and security is gone?
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Sulk or ask "why"?
They have never been my style. After the initial shock, I tried to find some positive thoughts and console myself that things could have been worse.
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A cottage in the woods
Thousands of people didn't have a place to anchor for a while and think what to do next. My place also had a second floor.
NEW CANVAS TO SPLASH COLORS AROUND
Looking through the windows . . .
I blocked the past, ignored the future, forgot the meaning of temporary and began to sketch a new project, thinking about the colors I would splash around. Looking through the windows of the new home, seeing the bare land around the cottage, it crossed my mind the idea of creating a garden.
Transience
As time never stops, losing my friend Peggie, closing the gates of another amazing chapter prior to this exceptional decade, while I was still grasping in trying to figure out the next step, was intense. Our life together during most of the prior decade, deserves a special chapter on its own. One, I'm still not ready to unfold.
Life with the beloved
I was left with my beloved: a four pound demanding four legged roommate named Tilly, a brilliant little person who cared less about anyone else, but me. She was the reason the direction of my life was changed, setting the future in motion. Animals have always played a major role in my life.