nineteenth letter

Look at these!  There are dozens more….all reaching toward the sun, full of enthusiasm, full of beauty about to be born.  Just days away.

So, the nineteenth letter….."S" is for Serendipity and Synchronicity.  "S" is for Scholarship. September.  Sister.  Shannon. "S" is for Story. 

A Story.  As you know, my sister Shannon departed for Heaven in July 2008.  With the sympathy cards came generous donations.  The very large sum was submitted to the local chapter of the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, in her memory, pinned with our hopes of advancing toward a cure.  Looking back, I wish I would have thought about setting up a scholarship program, or some kind of foundation that would sponsor a program related to her interests.  I spent so much mental energy trying to help her take of things while she was present, that I didn't give much thought to the stuff that happens after.  But it is in those early hours of grief that one writes an obituary.  It is a difficult thing for a family to do.  It is at that time when consideration is given to where donations can be made in honor of the loved one – we make the best selection we can, given our state of mind. 

Later, I told Graham that if I go first, please set up some kind of thing that would sponsor artists to be able to go to Valley Ridge.

Serendipity or Synchronicity?  I sometimes fail to know which is the appropriate description…but either way, I found it amazing that just a short time ago Katherine established a scholarship program at Valley Ridge.  How's that for alignment of energy? The program is growing thanks to generous donors.  To get to make a difference to an artist before I'm dead?  Oh yeah, I'm all for that so I was more than happy to donate a space in my workshop, joining fellow teachers Richard Salley and Jill Berry who have done the same. 

So if you are interested in Raising the Bar with me, or want to participate in another workshop this season at Valley Ridge, APPLY HERE.  The deadline for consideration of a VR scholarship is June 1st.  Go for it, and good luck!

One last set of "S"s…..