Ever tried this?

Fiona in the special Elizabethan vet collar
Black marker on bond paper
8 1/2 x 11 inches
Barbara Muir © 2010

This morning the paper is full of doom. Correction: every
morning the paper is full of doom. And there's no
question that this is appropriate. There are
so many tragedies and calamities in the world. We
need to know about them, vote about them, take action,
send money.

But after that we need to paint. When I teach I do
a hard job. My own life has its share of hardship, but
I tend to teach people who've lived through, or are
living through difficulties I can barely imagine. Perhaps
that's why I focus my art in the opposite direction, why
I feel it's my central job to find the joy in life, both
for myself and for everyone around me. It is why I
believe it's important to learn how to be joyous,
through whatever methods work for you.

Perhaps you could try something as simple as
taking out your paints and looking at the colours
you love. Or in your dreams you could turn away
from sadness and focus on cheering thoughts. Last
night I dreamt I was in Paris. I think it was because
a friend and I had taken a walk on Yonge street and
had a wonderful conversation with a man who sells
tableware (bowls, plates and mugs), and fabric
from Provence, France. He was telling us all about
Paris, his home. So I dreamt I owned a house in Paris,
very beautiful, and then I was thinking about that
lovely bunting Americans decorate their porches with
for the 4th of July. So I decided I'd like to decorate my
Paris home with this bunting, but I wanted mine all made
of flowers -- fresh roses and lilacs, tulips and all
kinds of flowers. The problem was my house had no
front porch to speak of. It was an old, beautiful classic
French building. So quick as a wink I built a set of stairs
going to the roof, and made a small deck up there with a
clear vista of all of Paris. Then I swagged it like crazy in
drifts of flowers, in scallops like the American 4th of
July swags.

Cleome and Nicotiana in the garden tonight
The Nicotiana is 6 feet tall at least

When I woke up I was dazzled. And I thought bring that
happiness into the day. So we've been to the vet already.
The lovely but expensive Fiona has an abscess and had to
get treatment, but I can still see my house in Paris, and
my extravagant flower bunting. Try letting the best of
your dreams power your day. Then try circling all the
happy stories in the newspaper (on the weekend there
seem to be more of these). After you've read them, put
the paper in the recycling box, and give yourself a break.
As for me I'm going to pat my poor cat with the giant
Elizabethan collar to prevent her from licking her cut,
and enjoy the day.

Have a keeping-the-dream-vivid day.