Everything I Let Go I

Everything I Ever Let Go Of Has Claw Marks I. Acrylic on canvas. 48x36”. Private dad collection. February 4, 2020
“Wear your heart on your skin. “
This is mine:

Six years ago I sustained an injury to my hip that, according to 3 different orthopedic surgeons, spelled the end of my running. The end of the one constant tool I had to keep me from going over the edge when life would throw me. Really, my mom was talking me off a ledge.

Fortunately, one of my greatest skills is the capacity to suffer for long periods of time and not die.

After about a year of hanging on by the fraying hairs of a paintbrush, the physical pain began to dissipate. Over the next 4 years I would go on to race 11 marathons.

You cannot quantify joy, but I continue to count my blessings one stripe at a time.
You have survived 100% of your worst days.

And you will. That’s why I have a tiger tattooed on my leg, in case you were wondering.