You Don't Know What You Can Do

Breast Cancer has taught me to try new things and Never say Never.

As a child I was art-challenged. Coloring in the lines and manipulating those little scissors just wasn't going to happen. In middle school I thought I could manage some paper-mache. I set out to create a cute little mouse for art class. What resulted was an out of balance, 4 foot glob of wet, gray newsprint with whiskers. I thought "I am no artist. I will never try this again."

However, as an adult, a friend gave me a coloring book and some pencils. I found it relaxing to blend the colors and, yes, I often managed to stay in the lines. During chemo I often reached for those colored pencils to create a bit of beauty. I found myself thinking of new ways to incorporate art and color in my recovery. With a coat of paint and some embellishments, small pieces of cast-off furniture became islands of color. They made me smile.

I don't know what possessed me, but when I heard that The Reading Group was raising funds by selling chairs painted by local artists, I called them and volunteered.

Me! An Artist? Never say never ladies. If we can make it through Breast Cancer, we can get past the old programming that's holding us back. You don't know what you can do until you try.