Stress can bring out the best, worst, or most creative in us. At age 42, I thought I had myself figured out. I thought I already knew how I responded to stress. When it came to big school projects or tests, or now when I have important work deadlines, I tend to procrastinate to the…
This week I went to visit my mom at Goodwin House, Bailey’s Crossroads. My mother is 91 years old and very functional, both somatically and socially, but she has no short term memory. She has lived on the 3rd floor Assisted Living unit for the past five years. My mom has experienced decline, certainly, as she…
“A journey of one thousand miles begins with a single step”. Chinese proverb attributed to Lao Tzu “A journey of self-discovery begins with a single step…but so does…
Last spring, I had a unique experience taking part in a “virtual” choir performance as a member of the Alexandria Choral Society. I must admit, the idea of weekly choir rehearsals via Zoom along with a virtual choral performance at the end of it (with 3 young kids running amuck in the background!) sounded daunting to…
This third poetic entry to The Artist Within series is by 11 year old Quinn Peacock Brush, a budding and gifted creative writer. Quinn is a sixth-grader at the Denver School of the Arts. Composed as a class assignment, Quinn’s poem is inspired by one of the same name by one of her favorite poets…
My mother was an artist by profession, proficient in oils, watercolors, pen and ink, pastels, metalwork, sculpture, and flower arrangement. Not excelling in any of these as I grew up, I never considered myself particularly creative. The summer after I graduated from college, I prepared to travel through Europe with friends: my first trip overseas!…
Introduction This fall’s Emmanuel Voices blog series, The Artist Within, explores the intersections between creativity & art, and our personal & public lives. This first entry, Painting Patriotism, is by watercolorist & parishioner Hayes Willingham. I was recently asked to share a piece of artwork and the story behind it for our church blog. The…
Emmanuel Voices 