Canines For Kindness
I was walking down a Southeast Portland street this weekend when I came across a sign covered in cartoon cats with the caption: “Felines Against Felons.”
It made me chuckle. I even stopped to take a picture.
A Front Yard in Southeast Portland
But as I kept walking, my mind got stuck on the fact that this was yet another sign against something. Sure, it was silly, but why did it have to be at the expense of a group of people? And honestly, weren’t exclusion and pigeonholing some of the very things these felines were really protesting?
So no, on second thought, I took my chuckle back.
Really, I thought, why is it so hard to come up with something lighthearted that’s also inclusive, even warm and fuzzy? Like “Canines for Kindness”? Or “Bassets for Boundless Belonging”? Come on - those ridiculously long ears, those droopy eyes, the shot legs. Don’t they just make you smile?
Or this one:
Daisy and Cyrus for Radical Acceptance
No, wait, I’ve got it:
Hounds Howling for Humanity
Clearly, my mood was turning dark. But still - why not signs for something instead of against something?
Then Cyrus stopped to sniff a tree, and I noticed something tucked at its base. Was that… a little door and two tiny windows - it was a fairy house!
Zoom in to see the fairy house!
Oh, I love fairy houses! (If you didn’t already know, read about my first encounter with fairy magic here.)
What could be better than to stumble upon an unexpected, whimsical treasure that exists for no reason other than to delight whoever might be passing by?
It’s like scrolling social media, but so much better - it’s real life! Oh wait, do I have that backwards? No, I don’t think so?
Either way, the fairy magic snapped me out of my mood. Just like that, I felt connected again. To myself. To my joy. To this quirky little corner of Portland. And to you - the person I wanted to tell this story to.
Just like that I remembered: people are wonderful. Of course they care. And yes, this world is filled with wonder.
We don’t need signs. Definitely not those that point fingers.
We’re all just trying to make it in this world - felines, canines, and humans alike. Aren’t we?
What About You?
How are you staying connected to whimsy, wonder, and delight during these tough times? Drop me a line to let me know. As always, I love to hear what moves you and what’s inspiring you lately. Your notes mean the world to me, so please keep them coming.
Much warmth,
Mary
In The Studio
My work is still up at New Morning Bakery for another week. Grab a coffee and check it out.
It’s been an inspiring couple of days. I can’t wait to tell you about the artist talk I attended right after my walk in Portland. It moved me. It really got my wheels turning. When I got home I had clarity on how to fine tune some of my work to feel more like me. Here’s a couple of littles I’m pretty excited about.
These, and a bunch more littles will be available at the March 20th Corvallis Arts Walk I’m doing at the Corvallis Museum downtown. Mark your calendars. I’d love to see you there.
