While I was recovering from a serious illness someone suggested that I start sketching and drawing. It seemed like a stange suggestion because I never considered myself to be an artist but I went to an art supply store and purchased pencils and sketchbook and started drawing simple things. My first drawings were terrible when I looked at them and I thought that this was a crazy idea until I read an article about the great artists and painters in history. The article stated that the masters like Di Vinci and Michelangelo did not like their early drawings. They were often not satisfied with their work and even considered giving up. I was shocked that the artists that created arguably the greatest works of art in the world had considered quitting. So I decided to stick with it and continue drawing.
Over time my drawing got better and I quickly realized that when I was drawing I was totally focused on what I was dining and nothing else. Drawing was a great way for me to escape all the thoughts that were running around in my head causing me a lot of stress and worry. Drawing proved to be an excellent hobby and I started to enjoy being productive and creative as I tried to copy drawings I found in books and various websites.
I started with landscape drawings because I found them easier to draw. Mountains, trees and streams were not as difficult to draw as faces or human bodies so I decided to work at least two or three drawings a day. I find that my life works better if I set defined and achievable goals to work towards. As I continued to draw my work began to improve and I suddenly felt a profound sense of accomplishment and fulfillment.
I have met some amazing people in my life and one of those people is a dear friend that I metin Cambodia a few years ago but now she lives in London. We stay in touch and often contact each other via video calls to catch up and just talk. She saw some of the drawings that I had posted online and she made a comment about a specific drawing of a lighthouse I had done. She asked me if I knew what a lighthouse meant in spiritual terms and I said no. She proceeded to tell me that a lighthouse represented the light that conquers darkness. A lighthouse represented HOPE and provided direction and guidance as you strive towards your goals. Lighthouses were goals, dreams, and things to look forward to. Places you want to travel, things you want to see, things you want to experience. These helped give you the motivation to keep going despite the challenges you faced. I was blown away.