Even the forest can hear---apologies to everyone!

On Friday, I took an Encaustics class. Two other artist friends, Amy and Jean were also taking the class. I had saved some miscellaneous "stuff/junk" leftover from a garage sale that I thought they could use in their artwork.

I told them that they could go through the boxes and anything that they did not want, then I would take back and deliver to Goodwill or take to the dump.

Jean said, "Oh, don't worry, we will take what we can't use to Goodwill."

I replied, "If you can't use it in your artwork, it is only good for the dump!"

They took it good-naturedly and Jean said that they should put a sign in their studio that says, "We use junk that is too bad for Goodwill." or something like that.

I did not think about what I was really saying, but they caught it. I have awaken two nights thinking about how it is so easy to make a comment and say something that sounds really bad.

Today I told my husband about it and he informed me that I often blurt out this kind of thing without thinking! Of course, I never realized that I do this---much less often! In fact, I always think that even if I say something not exactly how it should be said, that people know I would never mean it the way it sounds. I think what bothered me the most is that I would have expected him to say, "Honey, I'm sure they did not take it the wrong way. Anyone who knows you, would not expect you to intentionally say something that would hurt their feelings." Instead, he says that I should really watch this kind of thing.

The fact that someone can take "stuff/junk" and make it marketable or of use is something that I really admire. In fact, most of the stuff was either something that I saw some potential in or just did not want to put in the landfills.

Jean had just entered a piece into the Visual Art Exchange's mixed media exhibit and she used an old doll head, lampshade ring, old box, parts of a vegetable steamer and many other unusual found items that one would not often find a use for. It was an excellent piece and surely one that most people would never think to make using these objects. Amy had also made a piece with found objects for the VAE exhibit. So in my book, if anyone can make use of "stuff," they surely can. If I can get a photo of Jean's piece, I will post it here and I think you will see what I mean.

Today as I was reading the Anchorage Daily News online, I saw an article that had this quote,
"Grandmother taught me that all our relatives and friends, even the forest, can hear every word that we say. That is why we must always be careful with our words, she said. Always show respect. Remember who you are. Watch your words carefully. Even the forest can hear you.
Even the forest can hear."

So now I will take that quote and think on that and apologize to Jean and Amy. Maybe I have said who knows what to my husband and I better apologize to him, and then to my son---wonder what I have said that he took in a way differently than I intended---I better apologize to everyone I know. I just don't think when I talk about some things and I am positive that I have said plenty that has caused hurt feelings. Apologies to everyone! Just remember that I have good intentions.