Bloom in your own time

"Bloom in your own time" is a reminder to myself, that life happens to all of us at different paces. Some of us grow up in happy, healthy homes with every single thing at our fingertips, every warm hug, smile and an endless supply of "I love you's" or "I'm proud of you's." 

And some of us don't. 

In thinking and journaling on my own journey as a woman, a mom, a teacher of middle school people, I feel I am constantly comparing myself, my journey to others. So much of who I am, what I stand for and what I don't comes from those techniques that ensured survival at such a young age. And when I feel I don't compare, to these women who are married with homes of their own and children and husbands and friends and and and and...I try to remember that our journeys are all different. 

And indeed, we all bloom in our own time. 

This piece to me, looks rough and while I don't particularly like that in my paintings overall...it feels right. It feels true, it feels appropriate. Not every season is going to look beautiful and soft and inviting. Not every story is full of championships or successes after perceived failures. 

And that's okay, because we all bloom in our own way, and in our own time. 

9X12, framed in 11X14