New Year’s Resolution: Sketchbook

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Recently I’ve been thinking about me… or who I used to be. Don’t get me wrong – this is so far from one of those needs to “find myself” or a cry for help that I’m in “mommy doldrums” or any such thing. I actually love my life and my family. It just seems all the small things that I’ve given up along the way are just sorta… well, missed.

The things I miss, that I used to do, are things that really never had to go away. Okay, yes… having a baby keeps a person from rock climbing (though I’ve seen a very pregnant woman roped-up at the climbing gym!). And a three-year-old and an infant keep a family from backpacking or portaging a canoe into the back country. We’ve replaced these adventurous activities with car-camping and day hikes and picnics. But I’m feeling like I miss a small part of my adventurous side. I haven’t been skiing (okay, I admit – I’m a snowboarder!) in five years!

So, lately I’ve been asking myself – Why Not?! (lets leave that rhetorical – I don’t want to hear how sore I’ll be the next day!!)

Another thing I used to do was draw and journal in a sketchbook. I started because of a requirement in my first drawing class in college – but I continued until after the first couple years of marriage. No reason for stopping. Just fizzled.

My new year’s resolution is this: to try to DO a few of the things I USED to DO!

Starting with the sketchbook. (I went through a few of my old ones and took a few photos of the more sharable pages. Wow – I had a lot to say back then. I also had a fascination with drawing hands and feet! Funny to re-live some of those memories.) So now at night, after the kiddos are in bed and before I sit down to veg with my husband, I will try to doodle, sketch, draw, journal or whatever. I’ve even come up with a few random “assignments” for those times when I’m at a loss and staring at a blank page.

Fill a page with Letters

Draw 3 things you see

Hands (shocker!)

Feet (again… shocker!)

Different lines

Pattern Pages

Trees

Capture the kids

So the other part of DOing what I used to DO and recapturing my adventurous side is coming in small steps. I have hesitant commitments from 3 dear friends to go backpacking with me this summer. I promised them some spa time on the back-end (oh yes – I’ll need it, too). Also, we’re going to try to leave the kids behind for a night or two this winter to go skiing. And maybe I’ll try to take my three-year-old to the climbing gym.

I’ve never been much for resolutions – but this is one I hope I can keep. I don’t think I’ve set my sights too high, but we’ll see! I challenge you to DO something you used to do – and miss. Maybe we’ll all find that there’s a reason we quit! Happy New Year!