Friday, June 4, 2010

The Support Group


MY FERTILITY ART!!!










I come from a LARGE family, a large family that basically takes up 
an entire small town. I grew up knowing nothing but community, 
support, and of course, lots of gossip. Now that I live in a bit city, 
without my family, I sometimes find myself feeling a little lost. 
Adding infertility to the mix made me feel down right abandoned, 
left with no one to talk to, no one to understand me, no one to 
gain strength from. 

A few months back I decided to start a Fertility Support group here
in this big city, as a way to start a small community of my own. It 
has become everything I had hoped it would be, a place to talk, 
a place to listen, and a place to build strength. The very best thing
about this group is that for 3 hours of every month I feel like I belong
somewhere, like I have an itty bitty community right here in this 
large city. 

Last week at our meeting we did some art as a way to express how 
we are feeling. As we gathered around our canvas we used oil paints
to express what fertility means, and more specific, what it means to 
us. At the top of this page is a picture of my painting, I'm no artist, 
but I really my little painting, it was surprisingly positive....who knew? 
To be honest, all of our paintings had a very positive touch and they 
were all very beautiful and personable. 

My painting shows 3 flowers, the two on the outside represent
everyone I know......to them fertility has come easy, they grow straight 
and strong without even really thinking about it. They blossom into a 
family and their colors shine bright for all to see. The flower in the 
middle is me, I know it's hard to see but my stem is weaving and 
winding through the rocks. My fertility journey has not been so easy, 
but as you can see in the picture, eventually I reach my goals and bloom 
just as bright. The only difference, if you look down, is my roots. 
Because I had to fight just that much harder to push through the 
rubble, my roots have grown big and strong!

12 comments:

  1. Infertility brings out all kinds of strengths we never knew we had. Your flower analogy is an excellent one!

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  2. What a beautiful picture!

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  3. I love your flower painting, it's beautiful in so many ways!!! And how awesome you started that support group. I often feel the way you do about where I live and not having a place. I love that you created your own place.

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  4. It was such a great afternoon! Every time I look at my painting I think of you and our little group!

    We will achieve our goals, I'm certain!

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  5. I love the painting! Where are you going to hang it?

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  6. i love the art and the symbolism. its so lovely to hope that we may be that middle flower some day!
    i am hoping you hear about your surgery soon...what a pain in the neck that they are keeping you waiting! thanks for your lovely comment.
    xoxo

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  7. I LOVE the painting! It's so positive indeed and I'm GLAD you found a group where you belonged. When I moved to Finland from Indo, I also needed to find a place where I belonged, a new support system and I found it mostly through blogging. :-D

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  8. I have my painting up in my living room wall! to remind me of the fact that I'm alone in this! I really enjoyed our sunny and loving afternoon together! I don't feel that much warmth and openiness even with people I saw alot of the time.

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  9. My yoga teacher always says, "Bloom where you are planted." I love that. Your picture reminded me of it.

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  10. What a beautiful painting, and how true it is that your roots are so much stronger going through the journey that you are!! Thank you for the comment and stopping by my blog, I know it's not easy to come to a blog like mine when navigating your journey. I admire your strength and the services you render while navigating your path. How wonderful that you've created a community within the big city!! You're amazing!!

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  11. I think it's great you took the initiative to start a support group. Your artwork is beautiful.

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  12. I haven't posted before but I just wanted to let you know that I really loved your painting! It reminded me of a Dolly Parton quote that I love (yes, Dolly Parton)... she said 'storms make trees take deeper roots'... I like it because it reminds me that there is purpose in all this; somehow we will get stroger and keep growing and living. Anyhoo - great painting & thanks for blogging, I love reading along and knowing that I'm not alone.

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