Thinking about how America is the land of the free.  But is it really?  Is it free for us all, is it a level playing field for everyone in our great country?  I have a new group of students for Diversity class right now in Lancaster, a very bright, talkative and diverse group in and of themselves.  All adults working full time jobs, many raising kids, some single moms, all going to school at night to better their education in pursuit of "the American Dream".  

I just finished reading their journal entries after the second week of class and am happy that they all seem to enjoy class, even if some say discussions are uncomfortable.  Discussions about race, class, socioeconomic status, gender and all that goes with these topics are not exactly "light conversation".  We read essays that look at systems of oppression in the United States, and think a lot about "white privilege" and what that means today.  One essay in particular, although written years ago, is one that I think every person in America should read.  Please give this a look:  http://kasamaproject.org/2012/03/25/white-privilege-unpacking-the-invisible-knapsack/   Peggy McIntosh is an American feminist and this essay is called "White Privilege:Unpacking the Invisible Knapsack".  

One student commented that after reading this essay, she realized that in 24 years of being in the workforce, she has never had a boss or superviser that was not the same skin color as herself:  white.  We think we have come far with racism and discrimination, but have we?  As whites become the minority in the USA, these are discussions that we must have in our classrooms, churches, homes, within our families, and with our children.  Our world is becoming more diverse, and we must learn to look beyond the obvious differences of our fellow human beings...

Seeking your bliss

Yesterday I wrote about finding what you love  to do passionately, and the fact that if you find this, it can translate into work, which will then hopefully not even feel like work at all, since you love it so much, it will just feel like bliss.  (How is that for a run on sentence.)  Someone then asked "how to discern what it is that you love to do"?

It is a process.  However, firstly you have to start by doing what you love to do with NO THOUGHT OF MONEY AT ALL.  For instance, I LOVE TO WRITE AND GET REAL MAIL.  SO SO MUCH.  Therefore, I started PROJECT LETTER 365 this year, and I am writing at least one real piece of mail per day, to people that I know and do not know as well.  The photo above was taken in the Netherlands, when I got to visit my dear friend Irene and her lovely family this summer.  This is the pile of mail I sent from that leg of my summer travels.

I do not know where this project will go, but so far it has yielded connections with different artists all over the world whom I have written to.  One is Indian and her name is Manjari, and I KNOW that we will collaborate one day in the future, as she is also an artist and I love her work.  I am visualizing meeting and visiting her, and her coming to see me as well. ( I even posted a photo of my cozy guest room on facebook for her, so she can picture herself here as well.) I am going to start researching grants for artists and try to find some money to make a cross cultural art exchange a reality with her in India.  I am doing what I love while at the same time visualizing and dreaming of future projects that I will get funding for.  What I love will become a professional endeavor as a result.  

So...choose a simple thing that you love and do it deliberately, often, and for no other reason that YOU LOVE TO DO IT. Oh, and write me a letter while you are at it.

Cynthia Thomasset

Studio 304, GoggleWorks

201 Washington Street

Reading PA 19601

Serendipitous passion for what you love...

What do you love to do?  Not everyone knows the answer to that question.  I do believe that if we follow a career path doing what we passionately love, things fall into place.  I have another blog about serendipity, which is one of my favorite words.  It means a sort of "happy mistake".  I met Dr. Jerry Lee walking my dog 4 years ago and he asked me a question that would change my life..."would you like to try teaching?"  Little did I know that my 15 years of psychology and social work experience would parlay so beautifully into a classroom setting.  I passionately love to teach my adult students at Albright.  http://www.albright.edu/accelerated/  I have been teaching 8 or 10 classes a year for nearly 4 years now, AND I LOVE IT.

Serendipity led me to that dog walk and meeting with Dr. Lee, who is one of the founders of the program that I teach in at Albright.  (Albright is opening a campus in Mesa Arizona and he asked me to come teach a 5 weeks course there, need to make that happen someday!!!)  Just have to put our desires and wishes out there into the big wide universe.

SO, please dig deep and really think about what you are passionate about.  Volunteer, job shadow, go back to school or get trained in something new...and the right doors will open.  Just follow that serendipitous light...

Recent collage by moi, Cynthia:) 2012

Don't be too hard on yourself...

"Don't be too hard on yourself.  There are plenty of people willing to do that for you.  Love yourself and be proud of everything that you do.  Even mistakes mean you're trying." (Susan Gale).  I just think that we need to read things like this every single day, meditated about them, and pay attention to the truth in these words.  So many people are hard on us, but often we are hardest on ourselves. We don't feel that we give enough as partners, wives, husbands, parents, employees, students, neighbors.  There is always something more that we could or should be doing.  Well, if we can start with ourselves, and really know that we do enough, we are enough, we give enough.  Be gentle and loving with yourself.  Happiness in life does not come from external forces, it comes from within.

Love yourself!

Every single day, it is important to find even 10 minutes for yourself.  Whether it is to meditate, pray, lie in bed for 10 extra minutes, or lock yourself in your room to call a friend or have a cup of tea.  This self care is what keeps us going, what fuels our souls to find the strength to get through life. Do not feel guilty about this time.  Just do it.  10 minutes.  You deserve it.  And...do not forget to breathe.

Face to the sun...

Just thinking about how much I adore sunflowers and how their beautiful bright faces follow the sun all day long, slowing turning to keep the light upon them.  Comparing them to my lovely adult students.  Students who are keeping their faces towards the light, growing, blooming, gaining strength and beauty as they are closer to reaching their goal.  Being an adult student is a tough road.  Most of my current students have children, some are single mothers (one has to drive her two young school aged kids to a babysitter on Monday nights from 6-10 pm so she can get to class); full time jobs, homes and pets and kids and spouses or significant others to care for.  Some do not have cars and need to ask for rides weekly from fellow students.  One walked an hour and a half to class a few weeks ago as she had no ride.  I do not know where they find the time to study and learn and get to class week after week.  I admire so much their determination to change their current situations by striving for this bachelors degree.  My advice is to keep their faces to the sun, and keep following that light...

GoggleWorks second Sunday

GoggleWorks is a gem in a city that sorely needs good things to happen...come support us this Sunday for second Sunday 11-4 and see what is going on in this vibrant artistic community.

From 4-6 pm there is also an opening reception for the annual Berks Art Alliance juried show. There are a lot of interesting pieces to see currently hanging in our downstairs galleries.