A Thank You to This Fleeting Life

Among the giants

The past few weekends, I’ve spent so much time in the mountains — in my husband’s and my favorite place. I don’t know if you’ve had the chance to stand among these giants, but if you haven’t, I hope you’ll get to one day. I’ll wish that for you today.

To be among the mountains is to realize your own insignificance. There was a time in my life when I wouldn’t have cared to feel that — or maybe wouldn’t have even understood it. But now, I promise you: realizing your smallness isn’t sad. It’s expensive.

The quiet gift of impermanence

Standing under towering pines and rocky cliffs, I think about my own impermanence. How precious our time is here.

Every breath, each unnoticed heartbeat — they happen quietly, faithfully, and just for me. Every day is an invitation to step deeper into this existence. My creative practice, my intention to create as I (and this life) were created, is how I say thank you. It’s how I dig into the experience and honor my soul’s quiet need to be seen.

A new lens on art

Does considering my finite time influence my art? Absolutely.

I’m deeply grateful for every chance to see the world through an artistic lens — a gift I didn’t always have before making creativity an integral part of my life. I’m grateful for my hands and their ability to spread more color into my day.

I’m grateful for this spiritual act that connects me to something beyond what my mind can fully understand. I’m grateful to know I don’t have to comprehend it all. Just knowing we are meant to be like creators — that’s enough.

The courage to risk and share

Remembering that my time here is finite has also encouraged me to take risks with my art. To create from a place that feels true to my heart.

That’s really what my Patreon is all about: a space where I can express my heart safely, and where you can, too. Together, we create a community that feels nourishing and real — a shared bounty of what it means to be alive and expressive.

This week, as we explore July’s prompt over there, I’m sharing something deeply personal. And yet, I’ve never felt safer than in the company of this community and through creative expression itself.

🌼 A gentle invitation

So maybe today, we can each take a small moment to remember how precious it is just to be here. To breathe. To witness the way light dances on a leaf, the soft curve of a loved one’s smile, or the quiet invitation of a blank page.

Maybe it’s less about creating something perfect and more about creating something honest — a quiet thank you to this fleeting life.

If this reflection stirs something in you, I’d love to invite you to join me on this journey of creative wellness. You can explore this month's prompt with me on Patreon, download my free Gentle Creative Starter Guide here, or sign up for my newsletter for more cozy reflections and gentle creative nudges.

And if nothing else, I hope you find a small moment this week to make something — anything—just for you.

With warmth and wonder,
Stephanie 🌿

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