Paints For Pleasure

You might think that you are about to read a blog post about the joy of painting.  While I do find picking up a brush and letting my creative side flourish, this is not that blog (I'll leave that to Bob Ross!)

No, this is a mini blog about the immense pleasure I get from organising the paint stock.  Yes, you read that right, organising the paint stock.  Now for some of our customers, that might sound like absolute hell ("Tidying?!  For fun?!  Don't be absurd!") but I'm sure for some others who, like me, live with anxiety, it sounds like a dream.

I can find everyday life overwhelming.  Sudden changes in my routine, uncertainty, social situations and seemingly irrational worries can prompt floods of tears (poor Ben has nearly been drowned several times) and a spiral of inescapable thoughts.  But amongst those cheery, colourful paint bottles, I can find some peace.

Standing on the racks, each in their own particular place, these soldiers help to fight away the anxiety. Counting the troops, cataloguing the different battalions and sending them off to potentially help another person conquer their battles helps me to face my own.

The paints don't change, their colours are constant, their arrangement in the Barn fixed, bringing calm amongst the chaos.  It might be a little strange (then again, no one could say I am not a little odd myself) but for me, this is the pleasure I get from our paints.

Lizzie x