26 May
Other Musings
You want to live out loud?
If you’ve been following me for a while, you won’t be surprised to know that I share things from my writing journals. Often times things that I’ve written to myself end up being something that reveals some truths. And the truth is universal, so I end up sharing them with you.
Over the next few posts, I’ll be writing you some love letters.
These are lifted from the letters I wrote to myself back in 2019. I had little to no objectivity on them at the time. They were just something I felt like doing, so I did.
I came across them today while sorting things in my office. (As often happens when supposedly working, I end up in the nearest chair reading.)
I found myself stirred by the letters and felt they weren’t just written for me.
Letter 1
Do you want to live out loud? This is how you do it.
Love hard on you.
Change how you perceive things.
Know that most things are small stuff inhabiting a very big day. Never let the small occupy the big spaces. Live your life on a large scale, and let the small things remain small. In this way, your life will not allow for being swallowed up in minutia.
For we are dreamers, big ones—and we approach these big things by giving them the space that is due them. Big dreams cannot exist in the small spaces left by allowing the small to occupy big places.
Run this day, run your life, giving space for beautiful, big dreams.
When your work here is completed, you will look it over and know the other, the small, was only a mirage. The BIG, the BOLD, the BEAUTIFUL—your life—is of your choosing.
With confidence, let the small disappear as the big fills everything.
You are so loved.
xoxo,
Dreama
‘You are my sunshine, my lovely sunshine. You make me happy when skies are gray. You’ll never know dear how much I love you.’
Coming Home to France
9 x 12 oil on panel
P.S. Risky business. This thing of writing and sending it out. If I let fear stop me, you have no idea how many missives of mine would have never seen the light of day. I don’t get it right always—maybe only a very small percentage of the time. But I believe in following my heart which often seems to involve…taking chances. That is life. If this letter resonates with you, I’d love to hear from you—you can leave a comment just below.
P.P.S. You may be feeling inspired to do this for yourself. You know, get quiet and write a letter to YOU. It’s your higher self speaking to your regular old self. It knows so much more and finds it very easy to fall in love with …YOU!
Thank you so much for this and for opening up your thoughts to us
Todo lo leído me llega, no se tu idioma, quise aprender a pintar contigo pero no entiendo inglés sólo español y algo de francés
Dear Dreama, Thankyou so very much for sharing your love letters. Your words have blessed and helped me so very much.
Thank you for this! I know it’s true. You are a very talented, remarkable person!
Living out loud…..I ‘feel’ you 🥰
Soŕmetimes I just can’t keep it all together
Love the love letters
Thank you for this. I’m 61, at a crossroads and really want to go backwards. Backwards to me is a good place. It’s a place of painting and writing and creating; not working 40 plus hours a week to sell construction. I can’t continue the job that has moved 50 miles from my home and I can’t move because of my husbands job. I’ve been praying for direction and your love letter is encouraging my heart to step out and do what I really want – work part time, paint again, finish several books I have started and push the sell’s of the 2 I have published. I’m excited again!
Thanks for the reminder that while we are to love other’s, it’s okay to love ourselves as well.
I love your art and hope to be creating more of my own soon.
God Bless!
Sonya Davis
Thanks so much always for beautiful insights and equally enjoyable art.
Thanks so much always for beautiful insights and equally beautiful art.
Hi Dreama, just wanted you to know, I still read your emails, even though I haven’t taken a class in awhile.
You are such a beautiful human being, to care so much, give back so much, you really do make a difference in this world. Thank you for your WISE words, women especially need to hear them in these challenging times.
You are loved!!!!! 💕
Dreama, so glad to still receive these e mails. My creative self thanks you!
Vicki
Dreama, so glad to still receive these e mails. I needed this today!.
I needed to read you this morning. I am a writer, photographer painter. I am presently on empty Thank you.
Lovely reminder to let small things remain small and life is always our choosing! Keep writing Dreama!
Thank u Dreams for encouraging us to dream and to know dreams can come true, your writings r uplifting and genuine just like u the writer. Thank u again snd God Bless. I was one of your students years ago. I still have the passion for wc and paint everyday. It is a nice distraction from reality when needed. Life can be wonderful and joyful but is also sad and difficult. U help us to maneuver the hills and valleys of life. U help us to see that life is our gift to be nourished and cherished.
Just the letter I would want to write to myself at this point of time. We artists are so very sensitive to external stimuli, be it joy, disappointment, sorrow or just plain mind boggling change!
Thank you for this letter. Am driven to think this kind of a letter to myself might steer me back on course of my creative and emotive journey which mostly are not two different entities.
I hope to meet you in person sometime. You are an amazing artist! I would so love if you could personally connect with me on my Instagram handle.
I wish for you endless peace & creativity!
Cheers,
Sharmila
Thank you for sharing your thoughts. It is exactly what I need to hear at a time in my life like it is right now.
Again, Many Thanks,
Clare
This is such a gift! What a beautiful and clarifying visual this gives me! Thank you so much for sharing ! I’m going to create something to hang on my wall as a daily reminder.
I love your art and love letters! Thank you
Thank you and hugs!
Thank you for your writings. I am a 65 year old just retired art teacher who has not had time for myself or my art – and I am very capable of making good art!! I’m going to frame your statement about not getting caught up in minutia!
Love the painting. Love the words. With Enthusiasm. Ann
Dear Tolle Perry (Dreama)
For years read your newsletter. Each time when open it has a feeling that open a box of bonbons in a shiny wrapper. Because of this sometimes don’t read it immediately, but postpone to have a boost of energy when necessary.
I reread your text with the letter a few times, trying to receive each time the same amount of emotions. I saw a quote “The BIG, the BOLD, the BEAUTIFUL”. At that moment I knew that have an idea for my tiny fiction and started to write it immediately till the feeling of inspiration wasn’t lost. I had drops of lines which was in my head, but your text created a vector for a clear idea.
Your bright paintings are magnificent and your writing is inspiring, it has the power of your palette.
Here is the link to the text:
https://www.dropbox.com/s/x0im9d2wofpmihx/Tremendous-dreams-short-story-AKS-2023.pdf?dl=0
Dear Dreama, I have been following you for YEARS,,,I always read all your
letters and appreciate them very much and I Love You Too. JANICE
Dear Dreama, You always write so beautifully, and I thank you for that. But what is a big thing and what is a small thing? My father is the most wonderful man I can ever imagine. When I was little, and we’d go on vacation all across the big, wide open country, he’d teach me and my brother songs from his youth. “You are my sunshine, my only sunshine”, that’s one of them. That embodies him, and I can’t think of any other time when I hear that song but the times we were driving into the wild west, those rusty orange canyons and sage on the plains. He’s still a sweetheart, but I take care of him now. And he’s still my only sunshine. Lisa Hering
You, dear Dreama, are the Big Magic! You inspire us all to be better, to take better care of ourselves, and to notice the beauty right in front of us. Perhaps we women get lost in the small things, the details, because someone has to take care of those things and it is left up to us or it doesn’t happen.
Thank you Dreama for sharing another way to stay focused on what is important. I tend to waste so much time fiddling with little things, the small stuff. I know it’s a way of procrastinating and keeping me from doing the big things, the things I really want to do. The things I must admit I may be afraid to start. But at the end of the day a hand full of little things is so unfulfilling. I don’t have time for little things anymore, I need to end my day knowing I did something Big. Even if it was coming up with a big idea for the next day! You inspire my creativity and my imagination and now you inspire me to dream big! Thank you for posting these beautiful nuggets of inspiration , they are much needed and so looked forward to, Please keep them coming. Have a wonderful week. Hugs💕 Ruth
Thank you lovely lady for all that you share ,the inspiring paintings and beautiful words .they bring much happiness into
the world particularly to mine.
Keep spreading your magic .
I love you Diane xx
Dear Dreama, It’s always heartwarming to read your musings about art and life. Your paintings and classes are a delight and a joy. Thank you for sharing so much of your gifts with all of us. Cheers to many more, Katherine
Oh i love this–Im so behind in opening most emails and I clicked on this one this morning as I there are many details ahead of me to depart in a few days to paint in Italy for the summer — and what a perfect message to open – as I e has a tendency to make small things big. This is just lovely and beautiful writing and divinely infused
Lovely idea with the love letters to ourselves!
Thanks for your courage and vulnerability in sharing yours, so inspiring on so many levels.
Thank you, and have a wonderful weekend!
Debbie
I love daily reminders that help us to live our best lives. Thank you for sharing these treasures with us ❤️
I have lived many, many years, my husband has lived nearly 10 more. He is nearing the time of transition so at the moment I am living the big things.I am in search of small things that support me; maybe the following are not small things. Blue sky, bright sunshine, beautiful comfortable apartment, supportive Hospice personnel, flower paintings on most walls, quiet environment, neighbors touching base, family and friends praying when I cannot. Perhaps I will journal my sweetheart’s final journey.