Greetings From

Ember & Bloom

Hi friend,

Have you ever found yourself doodling while talking on the phone?

Maybe you filled the corner of a page with circles, lines, or little patterns without even thinking about it.

Most of us have done something like that.

But have you ever wondered why?

I've been thinking about that question lately, especially when it comes to grief.

Because something I started doing simply for fun eventually became an important part of how I learned to live after losing Gary.

And I certainly didn't see that coming.

When words aren't enough

Grief can bring up feelings we don't know how to explain.

Sometimes we don't even know exactly what we're feeling.

We just know there's a lot going on inside.

For a long time, I thought of creativity as something I did because I enjoyed it. I loved making things, trying new techniques, and seeing what happened when I put pen to paper.

But after Gary died, my relationship with creativity changed.

And what surprised me most wasn't what I created.

It was something else entirely.

What if creativity has something to offer us that has nothing to do with making art?

That's the question I'm exploring this week.

Using Art in Grief: How Creativity Gives You Room to Breathe

I'm sharing how drawing, journaling, and even learning to play the ukulele became part of my grief journey.

And I've included five gentle ways you might explore creativity in your own life—even if you don't consider yourself creative.

You don't need to be an artist to explore this. You might be surprised by what you discover.

Something to Try

Choose a word you'd like to focus on. Maybe it's peace, fun, joy, magic, love, breath, calm, or rest.

Grab a piece of paper. It doesn't have to be big—even a Post-it note will do.

Write your word in the center.

Now, slowly draw a line around it, following the contours of the letters. Let your line curve around every bump and bend.

Then draw another line around that one.

And another.

Keep going, letting each new line follow the shape of the one before it, until you've filled your paper.

There's no right or wrong way to do this. No need to make it perfect.

Just draw.

Breathe.

Notice.

How do you feel?

You don't have to find a meaning in what you've created. Just notice what the experience was like for you.
​

I hope you'll give yourself a little room to play this week. We spend so much time doing what needs to be done that it's easy to forget we can do things simply because we enjoy them.

I'll meet you here again next Monday.

Until then, take one small breath and know that it's enough.

Hugs 💜💚
-Gladys