Things Happen for a Reason

One day I was having a particularly "bad" day. For some reason, I got in my car and just started driving. I didn't have to go anywhere; I didn't have anything that "needed" to be done. But, I just felt I needed to be "somewhere else."

As I was driving about, I wondered what I was doing. Just as I turned to start heading home, I turned the radio on and there was a show about Second Chances on. They were replaying a valedictorian speech given by Andrew Fung, a Canadian comedian.

At the part where I tuned in, he had the audience yell out "I don't have time for that," and then he did a call-and-response series with the following statements.

"People who don't believe in you." (I don't have time for that!)

"People who knock down your ideas." (I don't have time for that!)

"Situations that are toxic or harmful to your health." (I don't have time for that!)

What he said next really resonated with me, and I immediately knew I wanted to make a journal page to capture the ideas he spoke about. Here's how the next part of his speech went.

"You don't have time for that. You do not have time for things that bring you down. You do not have time for regrets. Instead, make time for things that make you happy. Make time for your friends. Make time for the people you love. Make time to give love, to chase love, to hug those people and tell them you care. Make time for yourself, to love yourself. And most importantly, make time to believe in yourself."

Wow! I am so glad I got into my car that day and accidentally found this program and this speech.

Here are a few notes about how I made the page:

1. I used my Printmaker printer (a mini handheld printer) to put the text right onto the journal page

2. I used some Tracy Scott techniques to create the background, using Paper Artsy paints and some of Tracy's stencils

3. I added the "rings" with a tube, and Bubblegum splatter

4. I stamped the image (by Dina Wakley) onto white cardstock and then onto various coloured paper pages from a magazine and fussy-cut those pieces out and glued them onto the original image

5. I used some Copic markers to colour in the skin and hair and mounted the image onto the page with foamies

Sometimes, things happen for a reason! In the end, my "bad day" sure resulted in a "good thing."