Steel Magnolias

Yesterday after work three of my co-workers and I went to visit a former co-worker who is home recovering from a double mastectomy.  We went bearing gifts of food, flowers and a pair of cute new pajamas in an effort to bring some cheer to an otherwise stressful and anxiety ridden situation.  When we arrived we found our friend looking amazingly good considering what she had just been through.  Her news was positive that all the cancer had been removed and she will not have to undergo chemotherapy or radiation.  This was a huge relief to her and now she only has to heal and go through one more reconstructive surgery before she resumes life as before.

What I love about women is how  so many immediately respond to another when a crisis occurs.  Whether it is an illness, death, or any other life event women just intuitively know that sometimes just "being there"  is all that is required.  We feed from each others strength when we have none and there is strength in numbers.  Just makes me proud to be a woman.

When I got home I was greeted by my daughter Julie.  She came over to have me edit the art curriculum she has been developing.   She has created lessons using Power Point so that other teachers can teach the lessons she has been teaching over the years without having a degree in art.  I was absolutely fascinated as she took me through lessons on Van Gogh, Pablo Picasso and Cubism, mandalas, how to get into right brain all geared to inspire these young budding artists.  What really fascinated me was the fact that it is written for five year old's but at the same time the content is not "dumbed" down.  She uses words like perspective, symmetrical, landscape, etc. but she said the children absorb it all like a sponge.  They learn the meaning of these words and how to use them to describe their art and their surroundings.  I learned so much myself!

 The drawings above were done by 5 year olds!  Julie created a drawing lesson on Power Point and the kids created their own drawings of a bicycle.  They use the tools they learn drawing the bicycle to go on and create original drawings of their own.  I was really impressed!