 This is a new abstract pastel that illustrates "taking a chance" as I am fairly new to abstract work. Constructive Conversation, 12 x 9 inches, Pastel, © Lynn Goldstein, $575 June is a tough month for me. The anniversary of my father's death is June 3, with the emotional one-two punch of Father's Day following close behind. Dad died when I was 25 and he was way too young.  Here I am with Dad. If you are unsure, I'm on the left. It's safe to say that I think of my Dad everyday. I still miss him, but let's not dwell on that. Instead, I want to share some of my favorite words of advice from him. One of the best tidbits of wisdom that he imparted impacts me to this day in almost everything that I do. Hope you enjoy this short list. In a hurry? I saved the best for last:  There is NOTHING like dealing with the public. I think of this every time someone comes into my studio and says something extraordinarily unexpected. If we can't trust each other, who can we trust? This was uttered after I had lied to my parents (and was subsequently grounded for what seemed like the rest of my life). Needless to say, this stuck and I became scrupulously honest. It is natural to hurt when those we love are hurting. This was something my father said to me when I was about 13 years old. With this sentiment, he cemented my understanding of love, compassion, and empathy. Simple but amazing. I may be disappointed in something that you do, but I could never be ashamed of you. Hearing this helped me with my self-esteem in ways that telling me I was perfect (which he did NOT do) ever could. It helped me in my parenting too. You must make that decision, and I will support you no matter what you choose. I hear this when I am trying to decide which direction I should take. Even though he isn't around, I imagine his support. Incidentally, and importantly, he never discouraged me from studying art even though I am sure that he had concerns about how I would support myself. I am grateful for that every day. ... And... my absolute favorite: Don't ever worry about falling in love. You can fall in love in a minute. This may not sound like great advice at first blush. However, I have applied it to everything in life. My Dad knew that if you put yourself out there, you could meet the person of your dreams in a heartbeat. Same holds true for other opportunities. Good fortune is not likely to present itself if we don't take a chance. This is one of the reasons that I make sure that people see my art even when I am not sure what the response will be. Someone could fall in love with it in a minute and change their day (and mine). Any good words of advice from your dad? I'd love for you to share in the comments below. And Happy Father's Day to all the dads out there. 
12 Comments
DORA FICHER
6/16/2019 10:03:55 am
What a great post, Lynn! Thank you for sharing. One thing I learned from my dad was to do what we love. He wanted to be a full time classical musician but became a PHD Biochemist instead. His father who was a successful musician didn’t want my dad to have to go through all the heartache. He did eventually dedicate his life to music after retiring at 62. This is why I’m an artist and my son a photographer (after almost being a lawyer) 6/16/2019 02:59:37 pm
How lucky you are to have had this father!!! 6/16/2019 04:53:59 pm
I WAS lucky to have had my father. In fact, I tend to wish that everyone at least had the chance to know him. Thanks so much for reading and for the compliment about what I wrote.
Sara Shoob
6/16/2019 03:06:39 pm
Thanks for sharing this. There's a family resemblance, too. 6/16/2019 04:55:52 pm
Thank you for reading my blog! Yes, there is a resemblance. Since he died young, people generally say that I look like my mother, but I believe that I look more like my dad. My son looks so much like him.
Libby
6/16/2019 03:50:35 pm
That was so sweet! You are lucky to have had a wonderful dad. Thanks for sharing!
Ellie
6/16/2019 04:30:21 pm
Thanks for sharing those wonderful words of advice. I know what it is like to lose a parent too early. I was only 12 when my mother died and in my 40s when my dad died. Because he married again I am fortunate to have a brother and sister. I can't remember any particular words of wisdom from my father, but I recently ran across a bunch of letters (long ones that he typed) that he wrote after I moved to Virginia. They were full of news about everything happening back home and were encouraging to me in my new pursuits. They also had advice about things he knew I was dealing with--such things as how to take care of a car and handle financial issues. I regret I did not make more visits back home. 6/16/2019 04:59:36 pm
Ellie, Wow! Thanks for reading and telling me a bit about your history. I love that your dad wrote to you about all the happenings at home and about how to take care of a car and about financial issues. I got phone calls about that sort of thing. I can remember that dad would ask how I was doing first, and then ask about the car. That always made me chuckle, but I realize now that he was simply making sure that I was as safe as I could possibly be. He was a big worrier and worrying about his family was a bit of an art form for him. 6/17/2019 10:38:29 am
Great post. What a great dad! And I loved the photos. My dad wasn't one for giving pearls of wisdom, but nonetheless I did learn many things from him that I value. The importance of supporting family, the value of financial security, the satisfaction of a job well done. And as I have gotten older I have appreciated more the many sacrifices he made for his family. Now that he is old and frail, I have the satisfaction of taking care of him, something that he wouldn't have allowed even ten years ago, but now seems to accept and even appreciate. All good. 6/18/2019 08:44:04 am
Thanks for taking the time to read and comment, Linda. It's a rewarding thing to be able to help those who gave us so much. I am glad that you are getting that opportunity with your father.
Verna
6/17/2019 11:02:24 am
Very nice Lynn. I really enjoyed this. 6/18/2019 08:45:14 am
Thanks so much, Verna. I appreciate your taking the time to read it! Leave a Reply. |
|