Half full or half empty?

I have had many of my friends, so sweetly, check on me this week to see how I am doing. I am a bit taken back by the attention. So thankful to have friends who get my life and reach out to help during all circumstances. So thankful..... This last week, as I am thinking of it, gives me flashbacks to when I was young and just married and told my mother that we were moving to Boston. It had only been a few years since my Daddy had died and she was there at her house with my 10 year old brother, doing life. She surely must have ached in her heart, with a mother`s love, as she let the news sink in. She never said anything to me other than she was happy for us and wished us well. She and Billy came to visit many times while we were there and it is a happy memory now to look back on. As I get older, I can  put myself in her place and wonder how she really felt.My son and family have started this new chapter in Dallas and yes, I am so happy for them and for the new adventures that wait there for them. Yes, my mother`s heart is a little lonely, thinking of not seeing them as often, but there will be many trips and face time talks and letters in the future.With all of this said, my response to my friends as they check on me is this....I am fine.  I have two choices... I can have my cup half full or half empty. LOL...  that is an old saying but true. Mother always said it and showed it by the way she lived and now, it has passed down. Funny story though, yesterday as we were out for the day, we stopped by to get my beloved diet coke at Zaxbys with the good ice. As we got where we were going and set up our chairs,  I put it in the cup holder on my chair. .  I had been sipping on it for a while and put it back down, when all of a sudden I glanced at it and saw the writing on it. LOL!! It was so plain as if it was speaking to me. Half full or half empty?  Then it goes on to say, "No problem, get a refill"!!  If we start to get half empty, get a refill?  YES, if one chapter closes, if a season ends, if a door closes, start a new one, open a new door.I loved that little reminder to choose you cup to be half full. Choose joy.So that is my response, when  people ask how I am doing.My art time gives me joy, so this week, I spent a bit of time redoing, and starting new creations. This first angel has may layers and this isn`t even her first layer. But I started her several years ago and in my mind, I thought she was finished. As I looked at her, I envisioned her different, so I got the paints out and it was her week, her time.... I had used some pink inks to do some stencils on the background, huge mistake!! Those inks don`t cover up easily... So under each new layer, the pink showed through. I didn`t really like that, at first, but this is the look as I tried to cover up things... and used some white ink to drip...I was not happy and tried again... not thinking it was a happy mistake at all... I pulled out some paint that I really like, Paynes Grey.... and tried to cover up the background with the dark, so the ink would not show through..THEN.... added more white to the wings and make them a bit different, covered her face, thinking I would like the no feature look.... but ended up adding some slight features... but still, I didn`t feel like she was finished... so I added some flowers in her arms...... and then the dramatic change.... the position she was standing...HAHA!! this is how she looks today... Now, I am second guessing myself, as I sometimes do.and taking a hard look at her. When that happens, it is time to put it down for the night and look again the next day with fresh eyes!!  These three pictures are all different, but alike in the fact that they are the same painting!!Interesting to see the stages..... in my mind.... but for whatever reason, she changed her many layers and now... hopefully, is satisfied with the new HER, but no guarantees!!So, this week, in whatever season you are in,  I challenge you to have a great new one with your cup half full!!Glad to be linked with Sunday Sketches here.   http://bluechairdiary.blogspot.com/Happy Sunday!!LoveJane