First Art of 2025

I’ve been wanting to do this piece for ages, and on New Year’s Eve, I decided that it was time. The finished result is far different from what I’d originally wanted (I can never make what’s in my head appear on a canvas). At one point, I even considered incorporating actual tarot cards into the image, but it felt too cluttered.

In the end, I went with simplicity, and I think this perfectly conveys something I’ve been wanting to say for a long time… but couldn’t articulate until I’d done more inner work and truly understood what compassion means to me.

Healing is an ongoing process. Sometimes, I need to remind myself that others are moving at their own pace—or perhaps they feel stuck and helpless, just as I’ve felt so many times before. Having compassion here means that I’m not going to make things worse. I won’t judge. I won’t push. I won’t make them hurry. I need to be patient for them, just as I’ve learned to be patient with myself.

I have my own progress to focus on. The best thing I can be is a messenger, sharing the resources and insights that have helped me along the way. I can also be a soft place to land when others are ready to catch up, and an ear—or a friend—when they need one.