October is a 'Time to Give'

​October is a time to 'Give'. This seems like a better topic for November or December. However, as I looked back at how we often spend our October's I realized this has become a time when we often give because of our garden harvest.

​We've had a garden every year and we do a lot of canning and food preservation. We put up apples, pears, tomatoes, beans, berries in various ways whether it's jam or salsa. My husband and I enjoy this and it's one of the ways we spend time together. Interestingly, my husband is more into this than I am. We also love giving some of our harvest to friends and neighbors.

Last year I was ambitious enough and thought ahead enough, that instead of holiday goodies for Christmas, we made harvest baskets to share instead, (no pictures because I never think about it until after). We filled goodie bags with fresh produce from our garden as well as a few canned goods and shared them with the people we knew who would enjoy them the most. It was low-stress because I didn't have to deal with goodies during the holidays and it was giving what we already had. With a new baby this year, harvest baskets don't seem as realistic, however, this idea of giving makes me think about how we can accomplish it in the small things we do.

​So what does giving have to do with art? At first glance, it may seem unrelated. Yes, you can give your artwork to others for them to enjoy, but I think the concept of giving goes beyond that. I've learned that as I have been more giving in my personal life it has influenced my approach to creating art differently.

​I truly believe when you expand yourself by giving, you are delving into the depths of your soul. When you do things outside of yourself for others you gain more from them than what you give. This allows for new ideas, different feelings; things happen that are different from the routines we create for ourselves, enabling us to view things from new perspectives. All of this expands us as a person, which also expands our art. We have a well of experiences to draw upon for the creation process. The deeper your soul, the deeper your art can become.

What are small ways you can give? Can you make a weekly goal to give your time or share something with 1-2 people? What does that look like for you?

​Even at this busy stage of life with kids, I realize I will never get more time to give; my time will only decrease. However, I want to re-direct my energy towards noticing the people around me whom I can help in small ways. I want to be more friendly to strangers, send notes or texts to friends, and pay attention to opportunities in front of me. My goal is to expand who I am as a whole person and create deeper wells of joy, of experiences, of opportunities, and memories that will help me see things from a different perspective than I do now.

It is a 'Gift to take time to 'Give'.