I love this special quote

March 25, 2008 - 6:51pm — poempainter

just received this sweet work of writing, about art. It's from my stepdaughter, Marianne, whom I raised as my own. She's 24 and off, living in Chicago now. I've felt these feelings and I know many of you have too, so I want to share it with you. Comments welcomed.

"I stay up late at night, and in the most recent I've been painting again. It's funny sometimes how the urge to create something beautiful and full of life comes on. It's not something that's thought about, but just happens. It comes out of you, and you go with the flow, and the next thing you know you're looking down at something that just makes you happy. It seems like the older I get the more I appreciate it for simply being just that. It isn't about talent, even if that's a fraction. And it isn't about concept even. It's just about expressing ourselves and being happy about that expression. I experienced that a little in high school when I was at one of my most creative periods, and I think I tried to cling to it, because I didn't want to let it go. But the more I tried to hold on to it the farther away it went, because it doesn't really work that way. You can't always hold on to something that great. You just have to experience it and appreciate it, and be grateful, and move on. Maybe make room for what's next..."