Penny is an artist who uses her creative side and imagination to express herself. She’s now using this opportunity with ASDNext to not only do that through art, but also blogging. For much of her life, she felt like the “quirky sidekick” stereotype in a movie, always doing what others expected of her. When she was diagnosed with autism later in life, that all began to change. This news was life changing and she knew it was time to rewrite her story. She’s no longer on the sidelines of this so-called movie that is her life, she’s the director, leading-lady, or whatever other part she needs to play to figure out who she REALLY is! Every small step toward authenticity is now a victory for her in this new stage of life.
View all postsBundling Up but Finding Beauty in the Grey of Winter
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Brr! Is anyone else feeling a little down with this cold weather? Gone are the days to get excited about school closings, watching the snow accumulate, and creating snowmen! As an adult, I often find Winter is full of shoveling snow, battling the cold, and cooping up indoors like a hermit. While bundling up does help keep the chill away, I often feel like a miserable marshmallow. And don’t even get me started on navigating icy sidewalks, especially if I’m walking my dog. Both her little paws and my butt (from slipping and falling on it) definitely have a lot to worry about! This year, I tried to change my perspective and find whimsy in the Winter.
I started by defrosting my motivation to create some new art post-Christmas. Christmas is fun, but January winter is BLAH in my book, so it is difficult to feel inspired. But what sparked my artistic inspiration was the reaction from friends and strangers when I ventured out in my ridiculous winter gear – a giant fuzzy trapper hat, hood up, and zipped up in an oversized purple coat. They’d comment on how warm and cozy I looked, but little did they know I was secretly counting down the minutes until I could return to my cave. I decided to draw exactly what I looked like but in a cute, exaggerated way. It’s a fun and silly drawing that resonated with so many of my friends and audience, who were also freezing their butts off.
As much as I wanted to hunker down indoors to avoid putting myself out in the chilly weather, I tried my best not to skip my scheduled gym trips. The gym’s thoughtful provision of trays for muddy and salty shoes and boots has helped keep the floors clean and added a touch of organization. There was a time when a few of us were in the lobby, chatting through our mixed feelings about winter weather. Monica, one of the gym’s owners, is not an enormous snow enthusiast, but her heart is huge. She made the point that even if we don’t love this season, it’s nice to be happy for those who enjoy it. Our friend Leslie, an enthusiastic skier, shared breathtaking photos of Winter in Utah, showcasing bright, lively days on the slopes with sunlit, powdery snow on the majestic mountains. The views were spectacular, even from just the photos. Maybe it’s not the season I dislike, but the dull, bruised, and sooty color palette of Pennsylvania winter. Leslie aptly dubbed it “Grey Winter,” and I couldn’t agree more.
As much as I complained about the Winter, some friends and family have reminded me just how magical snow can be. After I shared my artwork, I started hearing some fun winter stories from people outside of Pennsylvania. For instance, my aunt Missy in Texas couldn’t wait to show off the creative ways her neighbors embraced the snow. She sent me an adorable video of Houstonians sledding on wild objects like small tables, yoga mats, and flattened cardboard boxes. Watching it was so funny, and I’m glad we had an opportunity to laugh together! Another friend and supporter of my art in Arizona LOVED watching any videos I had of Luna bouncing around in the snow, as she doesn’t really get to see snow like that in her area. Both instances reminded me of others in my circle who would love to experience the nearly six inches of snow we got on a random Monday, which I chose to be down in the dumps about.
Creating my humorous and dreary self-portrait sparked a change in my Winter perspective. Listening to the pleasant experiences shared by friends and family who enjoy the snow reminded me that there is beauty to be found (even if it is just a neat pile of organized boots in a bin), even on the grayest days. As for me, I plan to keep bundling up while eagerly awaiting spring, when I can return to gardening and walking my dog. However, embracing the quirks of this blustery season may help me get through another winter next year!
Penny
