Artists, poets, children, lovers and philosophers have been saying it since the beginning of time: Love is all there is. Peace starts WITHIN.

But we "creatives" are a subtle type. We don't care much about being "right" or "on top." We miss our own point when we go that way. We are the quiet observers, and so, no, we will never be in your face but the message is always the same. It is always there. When you look into the world and watch the news, you have a choice to let fear and outside influence make your decisions OR go within and let YOU/LOVE guide you.

I believe people are waking up to the ways of the world and wanting a meaningful change. But a meaningful change cannot be made using the old ways. It cannot be made by changing your FB profile picture for a few days until the next tragic news story hits. I'm not denying the pain people feel right now, not at all. In fact, when I look at my social media and see all the French flags, I think it's a beautiful thing to know so many compassionate people. What I see is a lot of hope and potential!

But Facebook is still kind of an imaginary land, you guys. And don't get me wrong, I love what social media can do. As an introvert, I love that social media allows me to reach people I never would be able to reach with my artwork and blog. But right now, I don't think it's the best way we can be channeling all this energy we have. Yes, you feel this pain and it is very real. I would never deny this to anyone because I feel it in me, too. But let's take that pain and really examine it this time. What is it that hurts? Where in you do you hurt? I believe pain is always there to awaken us, no matter what kind of pain it is. It is all real. It is ALL valid. Pain is the universe talking to us. Emotions are our ultimate compass. Are we going to use this pain to grow or are going to let history repeat itself? Because that's the thing about our world, we are damned to repeat until we do something different.

We are sensitive beings. We are born with empathy and so the pain we feel when tragedy strikes is incredibly real. Facing pain and turning in the direction of love during times like this takes bravery, but is all the more essential. And it's time. It's time to understand the pain we feel and use it to create something new. What is it you love? Share that with the world. The bravest thing you can do is be who you truly are, especially when the world expects something else out of you.

To do that, though, one must go within. Turn everything off for a few minutes. Close your eyes, tune into your heart and you will see what you really are. You will see what you are capable of and here to do. Open your mind with silence. Open your heart with love. And when you think you've got it, open just a little bit wider.

It's really that simple.

Lots of Namaste,

Stephanie <3

"Open Wider" 9x12 acrylic on canvas Art by Stephanie Weiss