<em><b>To accept lightness, you must accept the risk of darkness.</b></em>
![IMG_20221207_054431.jpg](https://files.peakd.com/file/peakd-hive/labanez/23vsFzwL9r4AzCUQM3mU62AKQpZKdrNDsEqzU92YMiTSBPjEMWPYfxyoyG8KdhRPpAgSh.jpg)

Hello everyone!
It's been a while, and yeah, I miss taking a peep into this Hive community. It felt like it's been ages. Life has been very busy for me for the past two consecutive weeks that I wasn't able to pick up my art materials and paint. I just realized that painting was my outlet in having myself replenished after a hard day of work. And those two weeks that I was busy dealing with tons of work has got me leaving very exhausted. It's like something was missing. And art is the piece that could complete the jigsaw puzzle, and of course, writing as well.

I felt the burning passion for art cringed inside. It's telling me that I needed a break. Maybe a colorful "me time" could help me cut loose with all the negativity and toxicity of this world. 

And finally, I was able to say "no" to some extra errands to run on the weekend which is supposed to be my rest day to have myself recharged. And <em>"recharging"</em> for me means <em>"painting"</em>.

And so here we go. I have already shared with you that it's been 15 long years since I last painted. For those 15 years, I have had my family with me here in the city, and we were happily living together. I used to wake up every day with my Mama as my alarm clock and had my <em>home-cooked with love breakfast</em> already waiting for me at the table the moment I woke up. Oh, those were the best days. But not until the day came that they (my Mama and my younger sister) decided to go home to the province and live there for good. Then I was left in the city alone. It was so dark and lonely. And from there, it's when I decided to wake up the artistic soul in me that has long been locked up in a deep slumber. I reconnected with art again so to ease the loneliness of living alone I was feeling at that time. And that's when I appreciated being alone. From that dark room of emptiness, I was able to see the light of my soul craving for art. Without art, my world must have been very dark. Art must have been imprinted in my soul since day one of my very existence and no matter how long I neglected it, it still found its way shining back to me. It was when I saw my long-forgotten passion for art shine the brightest. I could strongly feel the connection as I grow older, and that is one of the best things I'll be forever grateful for. 

Life, as we all know is not always a book of lightness. There are pages that we must go through darkness. <em>To accept daylight, we must accept the risk of night. To accept the lightness, we must accept the risk of darkness.</em> And life's greatest art is accepting everything in between, to live fully in each moment. Darkness and lightness have their different faces of beauty that we need to see and fully embrace. We need to see <em>darkness</em> first in order truly appreciate the <em>beauty of light</em>.

And now, allow me to share with you how from deep into the abyss of darkness, one's life could grow and bloom. 

<b><h3>The progress...</h3></b>

<b>Step 1:</b>
I first sketch the flower with a pencil. And as you can see, yes it's a pouch, a canvas pouch.
![IMG_20221207_192625.jpg](https://files.peakd.com/file/peakd-hive/labanez/23vsQYajVixahzaAXubEX1VJKmYFMMCTqDHXw9ZxHKp1rnjYCbgneYqhKJjdsSxZQgPoS.jpg)

<b>Step 2:</b>
I started painting the petals with red acrylic paint as it's what I preferred to be the color.
![IMG_20221207_192659.jpg](https://files.peakd.com/file/peakd-hive/labanez/23xp4FpUdZYpZgt8FPv1fXbZyiEF43nwNXrecKyKEu7qfehj8pLMgFXhx8jtq3W47sXjj.jpg)

<b>Step 3:</b>
I completed coloring the flowers and the leaves.
![IMG_20221207_192733.jpg](https://files.peakd.com/file/peakd-hive/labanez/23wqrtTaQcNRy2ph81R6UmZGWctQ5ksQPjDVHaSPpQRPaWHSG6cWWrNTQRR1iwWDNwNTF.jpg)

<b>Step 4:</b>
I added some white highlights to both flowers and leaves and then added the black background.
![IMG_20221207_200018.jpg](https://files.peakd.com/file/peakd-hive/labanez/23xVChe6gcCeX1YkiYb3hzP2J7pRT2cdNFKsaT1z6L2cCzKG2WEkZN2y2LRcJ3xTMbzSd.jpg)


<b>Step 5:</b>
I added more highlights. I added orange color to the flower and some yellow highlights to the leaves.
![IMG_20221207_192858.jpg](https://files.peakd.com/file/peakd-hive/labanez/23yd1Z9LVvrDatdSrrxbrMT6urKaHj4qqsiojdTguiQYy3UttfPD2j9Y7THNovRyMRDJh.jpg)

<b>Step 6:</b>
And then I added the pollen to complete the image of the flower.

![IMG_20221207_054431.jpg](https://files.peakd.com/file/peakd-hive/labanez/23vsFzwL9r4AzCUQM3mU62AKQpZKdrNDsEqzU92YMiTSBPjEMWPYfxyoyG8KdhRPpAgSh.jpg)



<b>Step 7:</b>
Added paint to the handle (combined, red, pink, and orange) and <em>yeheyyy</em> I'm calling it done!
![IMG_20221207_192923.jpg](https://files.peakd.com/file/peakd-hive/labanez/23uQrWdju7rPK1ap7iPk4s4nbuqN4Vk2ryY51SRzRjZAnLorH6uBsX7ndZqWehrU5bNpS.jpg)

<b><h3>One step at a time.</h3></b> Yes, take it slowly my dear, you'll eventually get there. If you think that the darkness of troubles you are facing right now seems never-ending, now let this painting tell you that everything will eventually, end. As no happiness will last forever, so is sadness. If it feels like all your life, you have been walking in the dark, let the genuine goodness in your heart light the torch that will eventually illuminate through the dark. You just have to trust the process.

I did this painting as a Christmas present to a dear friend. This hand-painted does not change or enlighten the whole world, but at least, it could light up one happiness to one beautiful soul this Christmas. <em>(I hope it will!)</em>