A sign from the universe

to create a digital folder

My artwork, just chillin’ with Mary and Jesus.

I need to document this moment because I am naturally a pessimist, and yesterday I received a sign (or two signs?) from the universe.

My creativity idol, author and photographer Ashlee Gadd (@Ashlee Gadd), once told me that she has a folder in her inbox for encouraging emails, to reread when she’s feeling “hopeless or discouraged.”

I thought that was so cool, that she would allow people’s notes to be gifts that kept on giving to her. It was this concept that Ashlee mentioned ten years ago (!) that popped into my mind yesterday, when two people in two different parts of the country received art from me on the same day and both texted me that they had already framed and displayed my work.

I dunno—people have sent me thank-you texts before, when I’ve shared banana muffins or ginger chicken or a pan of enchiladas, but seeing my work on a wall in someone’s house where other people will notice it made something in my heart sparkle and fizz. So I created an album on my phone called “Don’t Give Up” and popped those two screenshots in there.

I lowkey can’t believe I’m enough of an artist now that I need a folder for encouraging notes.

“Isn’t it splendid to think of all the things there are to find out about? It just makes me feel glad to be alive—it’s such an interesting world. It wouldn’t be half so interesting if we knew all about everything, would it? There’d be no scope for imagination then, would there? But am I talking too much? People are always telling me I do. Would you rather I didn’t talk? If you say so I’ll stop. I can stop when I make up my mind to it, although it’s difficult.” —Anne of Green Gables