March 29th, 2010 | 
Author: Well, March is almost at a close and I’m wondering where it went! I have some blogs ready to go for April. I’ll start it off with a 3-part series on forgiveness. One of the common themes I’m seeing with clients is the difficulty letting go of past baggage. In the meantime, here are some pictures of what I do on my off-time (when I’m not playing taxi driver to teenagers or catching up with the latest Law of Attraction blogs).
copywrite – John Langford Photography
On March 13, I volunteered with Art on the Way to put up Barton Barriers. Check out the website and cool video! There’s already been some controversy, as some citizens are upset that the city helped fund this project. It’s money well-spent if only for the sense of community we all felt that day. Neighborhood residents stopped by as the Yodocks were positioned, strapped down, and filled with water. It invites comment, which is useful in and of itself. Austin loves to talk!
based on drawing by a patient at ASH
The weekend before Barton Barriers, I returned to the Austin State Hospital (ASH) to volunteer for Project Hope. The goal of the project is to provide artwork for patient bedrooms, day rooms and visiting area that is created around the theme of “hope.” The project was conceived by Brenda Logan, an artist and former nursing assistant on the children’s unit. The project is funded by the Volunteer Services Council, which is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit dedicated to enriching the lives of patients receiving inpatient psychiatric treatment at ASH.
It was great seeing former co-workers and dipping brushes in paint to add some color to those institutional walls. I took a panel home with me to paint. I based the picture on one of Stryker’s favorite children’s books, When The Sun Rose (link for book at Amazon at the end of this post). I took some liberties with the original characters to better reflect the patients at ASH.
Project Hope Spring 2010
In keeping with my backwards diary of the month, we also visited the Fort Worth Botanical Gardens for the annual Butterfly Exhibit. Unfortunately, my camera fogged up and wouldn’t cooperate until everyone in my group was ready to leave. I did manage to snap a few shots after numerous attempts to dry the lens with the hair dryers provided (yes, the Botanical Gardens expected this problem!).
If you are wondering what all of this has to do with the Law of Attraction, it’s actually quite simple. Volunteering time and experiencing nature are two ways to raise our vibrational levels. These are “feel-good” moments that bring joy to our lives (and in the case of volunteering, the lives of others).
Fort Worth Butterfly Exhibit
And now the link for “When the Sun Rose” – just click on the Amazon box below! It’s a beautiful story . . .
Posted in Good Stuff
I’ll keep you in the loop about Project Hope. Debbie Trammell, (512) 419-2323, is the volunteer coordinator at ASH and she would love to hear from you. The 3rd Phase of the project is a mural for the east-facing wall of building 631 on the campus. The mural theme would be something along the lines of volunteers bring hope to ASH.
If you need some volunteers to paint murals you let me know! I have been painting for years