Letting Go is Not an Option

Is it possible to have a life without fear?
I banish it everyday and yet
Worry is constantly creeping back in

If I don’t have enough
How will I survive?

If I have too much
Do I share it or save it?
If I share it will I be back to not having enough?

If I am healthy
How do I stay this way,
Am I living the right way?

If I am unhealthy is this the end?
How do I get healthy again?

If love in the world is in decline,
How do I help it bloom?
Will our planet become unlivable
Or is it just a phase of evolution?

Is a carefree life even possible?
What would I do if I had one?

It seems that worries and fears
Are sometimes the motivators
And sometimes what stops me in my tracks.

How do I harness the power of worry and fear?
Letting go does not seem to be an option.
Trying to leave it all behind is impossible,
It all follows me and there really is no escape.

Looking for a fairytale ending is a waste of energy.
Looking for a better solution is not.

Cheryl McDonald 2023©

If you would like to listen to me read this poem, please click below.

I am working on a new blog about the dumpster fire we are now living through, however, it is not ready and probably won’t be for a week. So I thought I would repost this one from January 2023 which is still fairly relevant.

There are people who tell me I have enough on my plate dealing with cancer and that I should focus on making pretty pictures, listening to music, or staying positive. Well, I want to let you know that I am doing these things. Also I cannot ignore the facts that our world is in crisis and we are all dealing with the facts that there are people who want to destroy our democracy, people who have no respect for anything but money, and that we are on the cusp of losing our way of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. This is not everyday political drama, this is a coup against the United States and none of us can afford to just stand back and ignore it.

So, I just wanted you to know that I am here, I am making art, I am surviving cancer and doing my best to defeat it. I will not give up and I will not give up on making this world a better place for us all and neither should you. Remember self-care, call your congress people, and stay grounded. These are all things we need to be doing daily.

Here we are in the 2nd week of January, and already the optimism for 2023 seems to be in decline. It is easier to hope for change than to actually make it happen.

Much that I am reading these days is back to expressing fear and unease about life in general. Recession, politics, new covid variants, even the world of art and creativity is in fear mode because of all these new artificial intelligence apps that are creating art, writing reasonable essays and even poetry. Just so you know, I am not using any of these. I have no interest. Yes, it might be increased competition, however, I was never in this profession to compete. I am not good at competition, I have proven that to myself over and over again. I do what I do because I have to and want to. Being an artist is truly not a competitive sport. Yes, I would love more success, and I try to move in that direction, however, I have learned that trying to figure out what people will buy is a losing proposition. I am always surprised when my art sells, it always feels like a gift. More and more, I am learning to follow my heart and my muse. Does that release me from fear and worry? Nope, I struggle with these just like everyone else. It is just our nature and partly our culture to want more and the rush that comes from success can be very addicting.

The pencil painting I am sharing today is called Letting Go, and I would have to say this is kind of a fairytale image. The princess heads off to the castle, dancing along a tightrope high in the clouds. She leaves behind 3 characters on a platform huddled together. I name them Death, Fear, and Greed. The princess is ready for a new life in a castle set in the sky, high above all the mediocrity of life below. What is the outcome of this fairytale? That is for you to decide, I leave the story open to your own interpretation.

What I do know, is that we have many challenging issues to deal with today, and I also have lived long enough to know that this is nothing new. The more the world changes the more we also have to change and grow as well. It would be nice to live in peace, end world hunger, make healthcare a right instead of a privilege, save the animals and the planet from extinction, and just find ways to build a more equitable way of living for all people. We have our work cut out for us and we can never give up.

However we do have to recognize that every small success and achievement is powerful and important and leads to more if we just keep going. There is no castle in the sky, we all must keep our feet firmly on the ground and yet a belief in magic, optimism, and miracles is never a bad thing. You just never know when serendipity will strike and bring us to a better life.

Have a Happy Day!
Cheryl