Holiday Hurt
The holidays are filled with messages of peace, hope and happiness. Magical moments with family and friends.
But it’s also a really difficult time for those who are hurting.
The holidays are filled with messages of peace, hope and happiness. Magical moments with family and friends.
But it’s also a really difficult time for those who are hurting.
Perhaps this is the first holiday season without a loved one who has passed. Or divorce brings separation during the holidays. Or health issues isolate.
In these things, I see a contrast.
The joy of the holiday season & messages, and the real life painful circumstance we can experience.
It was at this crossroads that I created this series of art.
If you’re hurting this season, I hope my art gives voice to your feelings. And makes you feel seen and heard.
This Christmas is the first that someone will be without someone else.
A loved one died.
A divorce or separation.
A damaged relationship causing a void.
If you’re fortunate to be gathered around loved ones, perhaps business as usual, consider extending an invitation to someone who will be having a difficult Christmas this year.
It may not ease the longing they feel inside, but love paves the way toward healing.
In the midst of the merriment, someone around you is hurting. They just might not be broadcasting it.
The contrast of their current realities & the messages of the holiday season magnifies their disconnect.
A timely word, a kind gesture, a simple acknowledgment could go a long way.
Be on the lookout. Then practice love.
You might be the agent that ushers in some peace.
Practice empathy.
The times that made all the difference while in the midst of difficulties have been the ones where people have been willing to sit in the dirt with me.
Feeling seen & heard. Being understood. Knowing that although in the midst of hard times and feeling like the situation is unique to you, those people remind you that you’re not alone in it. There are those who have gone before you, come through the fire and are still here today.
This series has been interesting for me. It’s given me a place to express my own feelings and experiences, but more over, given voice to many who suffer silently.
I have had so many people tell me this art has expressed what they have felt unable to express. And for that, I am grateful.
No one is exempt from pain. We all have seasons we’d rather hide and delete from our stories. But I’ve found that redemption comes when I can share those things anyway, and use it to help someone else.
The mess becomes the message.
What if we just mourned with those who mourn?
What if we just mourned with those who mourn? What if we held our tongues and just listened? What if we cried and embraced and loved and suspended our desire to fix? With so much hurt these days, let's move about our days with compassion & grace. #hurt #pain #sadness #art #vegas #lasvegasshooting #artist #digitalart #sketch #drawing #illustration #illustrator #illustrationoftheday #mikebone #mikebrennanart #njartist #artwork #compassion #grace #loveoneanother #embrace #comfort
The Art of Being an Underdog
I watched the movie joy recently, starring Jennifer Lawrence. In my opinion, it's a must for anyone who has a dream they need to follow. But the thing about this movie that got me thinking, wasn't only the pursuit of a dream but how Joy was surrounded by people who continually spoke doubt and fear rejection and negativity into her life and dream. But (spoiler alert) she becomes the underdog, and lives up to her name.
We all like the underdog story don't we? The character that faces odds that are slim, enduring hardship and struggle, only to emerge victorious. We love that, except when we’re the ones called to play the role of the underdog. No one wants to endure hardship or struggle. No one wants to go through pain, missteps, failure. We just want the good stuff. Fast forward through the valley. But the truth is, there is no victory without all that pain. In fact, it is usually because of the pain that the underdog becomes a hero at all.
“...I want you to remember something, because a lot of times people get nice things and they start to think differently. We got here from hard work, patience and humility. So I want to tell you, don’t ever think that the world owes you anything, because it doesn’t. The world doesn’t owe you a thing.”
And can we talk about those voices that surround the underdog when he/she starts talking about a dream they have? It's like some people speak to them out of pity. "Poor guy, he doesn't even realize how unrealistic he is. I wonder if he knows the odds of succeeding?" "I hate to be the one, but somebody's got to remind her of reality. Dreams don't pay the bills. You've got to be responsible. Practical. Why put yourself and those you love through such unnecessary pain?"
“For me personally, there was no path. A mom and a woman way back then, to sit at a coffee table and say, ‘Yeah, I’m an inventor?’ It was like, ‘Okay. She needs to go to therapy.’”
They mean well, usually. Maybe they are victims of their own delayed or derailed dreams. Maybe that's how someone spoke to them, so they in turn continue to spew the same sentiments to those around them. Maybe they feel threatened, because change for you, means change for them.
And those are the external voices. The internal ones can be just as cruel if not more so. Because they play dirty. They know how and when to hit you.
Maybe that's another reason we love the underdog so much. Because we see how close to the edge of failure and disaster they walk. And when someone endures in that face of all those odds against them, it's inspiring.
So who is your favorite underdog? What's their story? Leave me a comment. I'd love to know who inspires you!
There's no need to fear--
Underdog is here!