How Art Heals-WEB

47 20. Demry Frankenheimer WWW.DEMRYART.COM COLORADO, USA “My piece Lotus refers to the beauty born out of the darkness experienced during challenging times. That beauty is because of the muck. I was think- ing of the intense struggle my family went through as we negotiated the unraveling of my son’s high school years. I believed during that time that I had failed him. Over time, I stopped struggling. I let go of my agendas, expectations, and failed attempts to ‘fix’ him. I let go of everything I thought I should do, should be. That’s when I rediscovered my unconditional love for him. I felt immense relief and was able to once again find the joy in the small things—in his silliness and his kindness.” After f inishing this piece, I realized there was another layer to it: the idea of the Ripple Effect—a metaphor that describes how our attitudes and actions can reverberate throughout the world. We each have the capacity to change the world in small ways—for better or worse. The metaphor speaks to me of our interconnectedness and the importance of acting with integrity.