There is "BETTER THAN FOOD FOR COMFORT" indeed.... XP

Whether I am feeling happy or whether my spirit is troubled "there is better than food for comfort"... indeed..

As I am trying so very hard and failing miserably to honor my dearest recently departed sister's last wishes for us not to cry and not to be sad but to celebrate her life instead, something that she said to me as my angel, cheerleader and major supporter and contributor all the way from my native country miles away resonated with me today.  

I am trying so very hard to honor her last wishes to not be sad and to not cry yet I am finding that particularly hard.  Yesterday I freaked out as it dawned on me that I could not pick up the phone to call her or ever hear her voice again... then I realized that her voice and memories are a part of me and I found strength in remembrance of her, and us and my family.

As I was feeling distraught and sad despite her wishes, I heard her words once spoken to me so clearly as though she was right beside me whispering in my ear "there is better than food for comfort" .... and there is indeed... bringing those words into remembrance inspired me ... I was determined to seek normal as I go through this mourning process and was determined to fill my day with all those things that bring me happiness and comfort that are "better than food for comfort",,.

I love making dolls with doll parts old or new/with real hair extensions wefted by me  and clothes either bought or made by me.  I love giving my dolls away as I NEVER sell my art or any of my crafts that are purely my hobby.  Today I filled part of my day with my favorite hobby that I will donate to the children's hospital because "there is better than food for comfort"....

I made a beautiful doll in red and white symbolizing LOVE...

then I made a doll with long dark hair ... which is my favorite style when I extend or weave my hair...

then I made a beautiful doll dressed in white and gold symbolizing peace and prosperity

then I made the most beautiful doll and plan to make several others like her that I will be donating 'in lieu of flowers' along with a love offering to the foundation for children with cancer and leukemia in Panamá..

I named this beautiful doll Mela ... my sister's nickname .. short for Carmela...

I had so much fun making my dolls for which I got 100% approval from my 3 beautiful little poodles that my spirit was lifted ... I found so much peace and happiness making these dolls to donate in her memory that when I was done I realized that there is "better than food for comfort" indeed....

My spirit lifted I snapped a picture with my poodles even...

because there is "better than food for comfort" .. this was fun and relaxing...

I have made dolls before .. during .. and after my WLS and will continue to do so ... 

My life changing experience with WLS has taught me that there is "better than food for comfort" ... when I am feeling sad or a bit down or whether I am feeling happy or whether I want to relax or whether I just want to have fun I will always remember my sister's Mela words "there is better than food for comfort" ... yes there is indeed...

I can paint my murals as I LOVE LOVE LOVE to paint with acrylics on canvas or walls or just 'gimme" a surface... any surface... some gesso and my brushes and my artist acrylic paints...

I would paint a mural in the harvest...

and take a progress picture in front of it...

I can gesso over my wall and paint a mural in the winter..

and track my before and after progress picture in front of it...

and now that I have moved into a rambling awesome big old house with a sprawling basement with concrete and rough walls I can occupy with my palette, artist acrylics paint, gesso and my brushes and paint my heart away of the roughest of surfaces on these raw wooden walls...

there is "better than food for comfort indeed" ... whether I sew or paint or even paint a canvas looking at the avie of my OH Friends like my painted canvas of Kirmy here...

and if all else fails .... I WILL HUG MY AWESOME TOY POODLES .. FOR NOW I HAVE THREE .. OR MY BEAUTIFUL FERRETS...

There IS "BETTER THAN FOOD FOR COMFORT" INDEED... the journey never ends and it is so worth it ... I am not going back to before ... I will use it to empower me today and tomorrow ... thank you María Carmela ... for your awesome words of wisdom ... I found comfort in my hobby and it was BETTER THAN FOOD FOR COMFORT! indeed... indeed... indeed...

Before was yesterday... 203 post lost for-always ... 6 years post RNY WLS on 2-5-07

I am not going back!

there is "better than food for comfort" ... whether I do my hair or paint a mural...

Thank you all for allowing me to share ... and to take up so much space but guess what... I wrote and purged my feelings and that too is better than food for comfort ...indeed!

Your dolls are beautiful. Thanks so much for sharing. You and your family are in my prayers as you go through this time of mourning.

Thank you for your kind words... making the dolls kept me busy and really cheered me up ..

Thank you Brenda ... I was always the artsy fartsy one of the family and the tomboy... she was deep into science and books and following all the rules to the letter without taking any risks..... I questioned the rules and challenged a few LOL ... she was just awesome... had a long conversation with my baby sister as we revisited precious moments we shared on the farm growing up together... I have awesome memories to carry me ... and I am glad for them and for the closeness that we shared.

you are a beautiful and creative spirit and I love to read your posts! Blessings and peace to you!

Your kind words have lifted my spirit.  Peace and blessings to you too...

You are an inspiration to us all!  While you can no longer audibly hear your sister, you know her voice is still inside of you, still cheering you on.  You keep her inside of you until that day, when you get to be together again.

    I am definitely keeping her inside of me until we get to be together again ... Thank you sooooooo much Lynn ... the knowledge that I can still hear her voice as committed to memory comforts me a lot.  I must get over this ... one-day-at-a-time ... losing a sibling hits so close to home.

Your dolls are going to be magic to little girls in the hospital! 

I was reading a forum about social anxiety the other day, and after reading and empathizing with dozens of posts about sadness and loneliness, I said aloud, "For heaven's sake, then go do something for somebody else! Help animals, help the helpless, feed the hungry, scrub gang tags off school walls--anything! If life hasn't been fair and you're miserable, at least be of some use in the world." And of course I was talking to myself.

I love that you find ways to create beauty and joy at the same time--and that you share it with us.