Self-Respect

He that respects himself is safe from others; he wears a coat of mail that none can pierce. ~Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
To free us from the expectations of others, to give us back to ourselves - there lies the great, singular power of self-respect. ~Joan Didion

Tonight I talked to the fella I met last fall--the one who told me to "be who you are," and listening to him brought back me back to center on this. It is funny how I have to be constantly reminded of simple truths--blinding flashes of the obvious, but I tend to forget and try to put myself in a mold that doesn't fit.

This painting is one of my earlier ones--Watering the Lilies, based on a photo of lilies growing in my flower bed. A few years later I darkened the wall behind the flowers making them pop out better, and I am much happier with it. I am pleased with the drops of water.