~SanGenWoman Blog~: ~Now You See It, Now You Don't~

When Jan made this tangle I loved it. She created this early on in our discovery of Zentangle Inspired Art in the summer of 2014. At the time, I knew that her initials were embedded in this design and it was very obvious to me then. JB is for Jan Barbara. I hadn't looked at it in several months and chose it for this blog because I think the design is so dynamic. Of course, I think all her tangles are great and am happy to post any tangle she creates.

I was looking at this design with her last night and she said, "You know my initials are in that, right?" And I realized then I had completely forgotten that and it looked like an abstract design to me. We had a good laugh and then chatted about what you see is not always what is. That thought can carry over to so many things in life, not just art.

This experience made me pause and realize how much I take for granted as I make observations about everything in my life, everyday. After this experience, I will be paying closer attention to my perception of things. Being observant, looking at details and understanding that our perception has everything to do with how we move through life.

Just because we see things a certain way, that doesn't necessarily mean that's the truth.

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This is a recent tangle I made. Halfway through I didn't like it, but persevered to the end because I was determined to make it look like I had originally envisioned. What I had envisioned, like every tangle I do, is a final design that I love. Not every single design is a success or my favorite, but with that attitude, I do like many of the ones I have completed. And for the few I haven't completed, I will come back to you at a later date, with fresh eyes, and set out again to design something I am happy to look at. I never, ever give up. And I never shoot for perfection. I enjoy the process and the benefits of doing something creative that I love.

My new book launched a few weeks ago on Amazon! "The Artistry of Caregiving, Letters to Inspire Your Caregiver Journey" Written from my heart to yours, to help you navigate the emotional journey. Several of my Caregiver tangles are in it. The book has a unique format. Six chapters and 33 Letters, designed to read on the go, in no particular order. I wrote this book out my experience as my Mom's primary Caregiver for several years. My journey was diffucult, stressful, lonely and I felt very isolated and withdrawn. I wrote this to bring comfort to Caregivers of all ages. I wanted to let you know you are not alone, you are understood and I hope this book makes you feel connected, appreciated and affirms all that you do. Caregiving is not an easy job. It can be quite demanding and stressful. I created this book to be a companion for you and I hope you love it!