THE LAST TIME

THE LAST TIME

These words were printed on a wallpaper border about a foot below the ceiling in a room where I was taking a class. “When was the last time you did something for the first time?” I was taking an acrylic painting class, a first for me, so it wasn’t hard to answer. None the less, I pose the question to you because I was hard pressed to think of something that had happened before the class. Don’t stress yourself to answer. I have been thinking about the question since.

It was the second day of June. The Monday began as usual except my brother and his lovely wife had arrived the night before and would be with us for a few days… not the first time. We had celebrated anniversaries, birthdays, and end of school year with food, cake, and drink – not a first. In other words, the groundwork was set for an ordinary visit with my favorite and only living brother.

After breakfast we separated to do what we usually do after breakfast…my brother took a walk, and I tidied the kitchen. Upon his return, I retrieved three pre-printed canvases and acrylic paint from the garage. For the next few hours, we explored painting, stopping only for a bite to eat and bathroom breaks. It was the first time I had ever painted with my brother and his wife and their first time painting.

My husband had departed shortly after breakfast for his djembe lessons, a first for him, and returned to find us engrossed in painting. He sat down, put his African drum between his legs, and provided beats for the session, a first for all of us… four seasoned adults on a sunny afternoon painting, drumming, and playing.

“When was the last time you did something for the first time?” Don’t stress yourself to answer but answer you must. Perhaps the response is, “I don’t know.” That is your answer. It is a starting point. All new discoveries have a point of entry. The benefits of doing something for the first time are many, both physical and mental.

A few examples if you please: dopamine production increases. Dopamine is a feel- good chemical and makes one feel rewarded for effort. Doing something one has never done before forces new growth. Doing only what you know how to do repeatedly not only doesn’t promote growth, but it may also stunt.

A feeling of peace came to rest on the porch. My sister-in-law exclaimed at one point, “I have found a new hobby!”  My brother painted with intensity and intentionality, declaring late in the afternoon to his daughter, “Mine is the best.” We were all rewarded with an increase in dopamine production.

Perhaps it was the experience of the day that prepared them both for another first, dinner at an authentic Peruvian restaurant.

John 3:3

PONDER THIS THOUGHT---The door to new is unlocked by the key of trying.

PAINTING WITH FAMILY FOR THE FIRST TIME