The Red Strokes

Birth is an empty canvas. Life is the color we apply. Blues and greens, peaceful and unassuming. Pastels for hope. Varied hues of yellow and orange and warmth and contentment while shades of gray mark regrets and change. But it is the red strokes, lies and truths, vibrant and bold, the moments that fill our hearts with joy and bring us to our knees in desperation that place value on our lives. The red strokes shape our character and define our integrity. Only once a canvas is complete can we appreciate it as a true work of art.

My canvas is now complete and as you will learn in the upcoming weeks, many of the strokes of my life were red. I have done things in my life that were both honorable and unconscionable. I have made decisions that were questionable, but I have never lent a second to regret. I have been a bedfellow to shame and pride. I am not going to apologize for the decisions I have made or for the life I have lived. I am not seeking your forgiveness. I am standing on hope. Hope that you will understand. And through understanding my red strokes may you come to recognize and embrace your own.