Those years that Flash was alone in his spaceship, I was lonely, too.

The teenagers that were part of the first Flash Meridian episodes grew up and moved away, and Flash was alone to introspect on his journey.

Even my daughter, who was three when the adventures began, grew up and left.

The pictures changed, and then all but disappeared. I thought the writing was getting better, but I missed the magic of companionship… of collaboration, and of multimedia.

Like the whales that had ceased to fly, the story of Flash Meridian had grown sluggish and laborious to write. More and more time passed between episodes. When I published the book, I thought maybe that was it. Maybe the story was just over.

Flash and I were looking for a home, not realizing that we were already there.

I did not want to be an empty nester. The greatest joy of my life was raising my kids, and so, in my late fifties, I decided to try to adopt again.

Now the kids are teenagers, and they want to be part of the saga of Flash Meridian.

They are developing their own costumes, and posing for photos so that I can send them into space.

Before I started writing the story, I had bought a vintage flight suit on eBay, and started taking pictures with it. I called myself “Rocket Boy” but they were just pictures with nowhere to go.

Last week, the kids woke me up by sneaking into my bedroom and attacking me early one morning, wearing masks. I took pictures of them, and those masks became the start of their Flash Meridian costumes and characters. I love it when creative details grow into something bigger and sort of take on a life of their own.

I’ve gone back to way I created the images twenty years ago, and now these pictures and their experiences help to inspire the story.

I think a mindful life can be the ultimate sit com, the wackiest sci fi story, and even a real life romantic comedy.

…and speaking of returning to the way I used to do things, I’ve been drawing a lot on paper with a pen. Quick doodles, like I used to do in Junior High and High School.

With no expectation, I just grip the moving pen and see what comes out.

What am I doing for self care?

I know there are times when I need to put my own oxygen mask on before assisting others. I usually run a hot bath and just relax for an hour.

This evening, my son went to the gym by himself because he needed to do that… alone.

Self care doesn’t always mean relaxing in the tub or on the couch. I also practice self care by completing projects. Even taking on projects that require skills I do not yet possess.

Kids are demanding, messy, and loud at times, but they are not an interruption to my life. They are my purpose.

They are my self care.

I think we all find ourselves floundering at times, or at least we feel like we are. A couple of years ago, that’s how I was feeling while I was doing an artist-in-residence at a gallery. I decided to use that feeling and paint flounders.
I started thinking that I’d like to make a life-size flounder that could lay on my bed. I bought the material, but it’s taken me a couple of years to attempt making it.

I don’t know how to sew realistic looking flounders, so this is how it turned out.

Artists in this community are so generous. Betsy Bowen taught me how to carve and print linoleum blocks, and Mike Smieja lent me a wheel to learn to throw pots. Art is not competitive. Instead, we can be inspired by each other, and add a new medium to our creative vocabulary. Sparks fly off of us, and we can ignite fires in each other.

Thank you for your generosity.