The picture above was one of my dreams — from more than 30 years ago!
I bought this watercolor at the urging of my friend Kacy Cook, the children’s book author from Columbus, Ohio. Many of you know her from the Women on Fire Retreat and as co-author and editor of the Women on Fire book.
Kacy and I met in our early 20s and I learned from her that buying good art was key to setting up a household. Who knew? (Another of the 10 jillion reasons to have smart women in your life who care about you.)
After signing the lease for my first “big girl” apartment, with Kacy’s counsel, I bought the original painting above by well-known Ohio watercolorist Robert Brubaker as my first purchase! I had no couch, no bed, no washer or dryer but I had inspiring art — that held within it my dream.
I had always felt called to Cape Cod, where I imagined this painting to be from. When I bought this piece of art I had never even been to the East Coast let alone seen a lobster trap. Every single day for years I lived inside that painting, dreaming, wishing, wondering what it would be like to be surrounded in that light and by beautiful wildflowers, to live near the ocean and to smell the salt air.
As many of you know, today I live the dream of that painting. My home is just a ferry ride away from Cape Cod, off the coast of Massachusetts, on Martha’s Vineyard. Living here, I feel my very best and am inspired each and every day, enveloped by beautiful light, the lush landscape and the scent of the ocean.
So, what about you? Do you have a visual trigger that allows you to see the future you’d love to live? I know many of you know about “dream boards” or “vision boards” and good for you if you have one.
If not, how are you laying the groundwork for your dreams? Perhaps inspiration is already there in your home or office just waiting for you to notice. Or, maybe you’re ready to invest in a special object that reminds you daily of what your deepest wish and hope is. I remember clearly the cost of that watercolor — $100. The pleaure and promise it has provided me over the years has been priceless. And, it’s still giving me delight from its prominent place in our home here on Martha’s Vineyard.
As always, please feel free to share your experiences and thoughts with me and our Spark! community in the comments section below.
Much love,
Debbie
