The Sun is Always Shining

The sky is gray and the winds are blowing outside our home today. The steady drizzle and colder temps alongside the blanket of wet leaves on the ground could really soak into our psyche and set a tone for the day in a not so positive way. That is, if we let it. I had about a forty minute window with my three year old alone today so despite the weather we rushed out the door. We drove over to our local park system close by and went out to do a mini- wild wet weather exploration! It's all how you frame it. When I sensed the moodiness of the weather I equated it with mystery and what child can pass up a chance to go out and see what they can find?

I read something recently that has been running through my mind ever since. It's one of those simple truths that we know but we don't often think about. The sun is always shining but sometimes we just can't see it. Even if it's cloudy or dark it's up there shining ~ really. I explained this to my son the other day and he seemed to get it. I am drawn to metaphors like this in my artwork and try to bring them into our day to day lives to illuminate concepts that may be too hard for little minds to fully understand.

When the sun is shining we are prone to believe that this should make us happy. And of course the opposite is generally true in that more people tend to think of overcast skies as depressing. But really if you are already in a good mood none of the above should have a great impact. And if you get outside, no matter what the weather, it is likely to clear your mind and provide a boost in mood.

On our walk today we ventured onto a nearby trail through the woods. This is a path we had been on many times before but today there was a striking difference. Many of the trees, from what we could see on the short section of the trail we were on, had fallen. This, apparently the aftermath of a storm that had blown through the area the night before. A little in awe of all the debris, we stared in amazement at the forest in such disarray. We walked along pointing out large trees and root systems and all kinds of tangled mess. Through that mess we found beauty.

We often think of ourselves as little in comparison to the wide world out there. So many forces are beyond our control. But the thing we often forget, the biggest resource to happiness, is something that we do have control of, our minds. And when great minds that think alike join forces, wow, what a positive community we form. My kids really like the book, "The Pout Pout Fish and the Big Big Dark". In it, the pout pout fish is on a journey to find a missing pearl and has to face his fear of the dark. He travels to mysterious places in the deep ocean below and finds that every time doubt enters his mind, he hears a voice that pushes him to find strength to move on. In the end, that voice turns out to be a friend and they find that when there are two they are bigger than the dark!

Even when the weather is "gloomy" and circumstances in life less than perfect, we have to remember that the sun is never far. Step outside, take a breath of fresh air, and remind yourself of that. And if you are lucky, and can take others along, then mind over matter will always prevail and find a way of bringing that sunshine right back to you. And of course as we've all heard before, "And we all shine on, Like the moon and the stars and the sunWell, we all shine on"....