Each of you has talent of the same caliber as Anna had. Maybe it’s something that you tried as a child and enjoyed. It could be you haven’t even discovered it as of yet. But, the important thing is that you have it! Today would be a great day to begin the journey of searching for and finding it.
Anna had a glimpse as a young girl but, life would get in the way. She was born September 7, 1860 and was raised on a farm. She attended school only during summer because of the lack of proper winter clothes. She began earning a living at twelve years of age by working as a hired girl at homes near the farm. She married in 1887, to a farm worker named Thomas. They moved to Virginia (later New York) where they had ten children (five of whom died in infancy). Her husband died in 1927. As her years advanced, farming became too difficult. Anna began earning money embroidering pictures in yarn. She was forced to give up embroidery at the age of 76 because of arthritis.
Well, friends, if the story were to end here it would still be a great story of overcoming. The loss of 5 children, widowed, arthritic, she did not give up. In fact, another go-round was just starting for her. Anna Mary Robertson took up her childhood love of painting once again. She entered her paintings along with homemade preserves at local fairs. The preserves won ribbons. Not one to be disheartened, she kept right on painting. And painting. She painted over 1,000 paintings after 75 years of age. Twenty-five after she had turned 100. Anna Mary Robertson just kept plugging away until she died at the ripe old age of 101. You probably have seen some of her paintings. In 2006, one of them fetched 1.2 million dollars. A commemorative stamp was issued in her honor in 1969.
Oh, how clumsy of me. Please forgive me. Her name to her family was Anna Mary Robertson Moses. To the rest of the world it was Grandma Moses.
Was she special? Of course. But no more or less than you are. The world is anxiously awaiting your masterpiece(s). Be generous. Share with us.
Don’t wait any longer. Go for it.
If I hadn’t started painting, I would have raised chickens.
– Grandma Moses
Life is what we make it, always has been, always will be.
– Grandma Moses
Live it, and live it LOUD!
Remember, you are the only you, you have.
