A few weeks ago I sketched this Hibiscus, or as Malaysians call it, Bunga Raya, in graphite. My challenge this week was to paint it in watercolor.
All the different colors and shades were so much fun to paint, I relaxed and enjoyed this process immensely. But near the end of my work, I realized it was missing something. The edges of each petal weren’t prominent enough to give the flower shape. All those pretty shades were lying flat on my paper.
We can get caught up in something, enjoying it so much, that we forget what really shapes our life. Or we may be so overworked by the ordinary activities of our life that we feel flat and bored. Either way, we may be losing our shape.
We may need new challenges to hone our skills or challenge our minds. We may need to do the mundane in a new and creative ways. Find a new recipe to try, do an errand for a friend, or read a nonfiction book instead of a novel. Let’s get out of a flat, ordinary existence and revive the shape of our lives. We will enjoy life more and those around us may just find new reasons to like being with us.