"Making my artwork a form of profound surrender." by Thaís Suizo

Finally, I'm back after some time without writing for the blog. So let me tell you something that happened a little over two months ago.

In another post, I told you about my eldest daughter leaving home to go to University in another state. When I was working on this illustration for book 3 of the Let's Meditate Series, it had been exactly 15 days since she had been living away from home.

Things were going well and she was adapting to her new life and routine.  I was already beginning the painting phase of this illustration when I received a phone call that turned my life upside down.

Here's what happened: my daughter was hit by a car when she was arriving at the University gate.

My husband and I hit the road immediately and after a few hours driving we arrived at the hospital, where we found her badly injured. Fortunately, she remained conscious the entire time and at the hospital they had done several tests, but in addition to having various injuries all over her body, she also had fractures in her shoulder and hip.

After two days in the hospital, she was released, but she would have to remain immobilized for 15 days, and then I should seek specialists.

We managed to bring her home to the interior of the state of São Paulo where I was able to take care of her.

In short, there were sleepless nights, pain, and the fact that she couldn't move. Suddenly, it felt like I was living a nightmare.

After a week, when I took her exams to an orthopedist, he informed me that she probably wouldn't need surgery, but that she would have to stay off her feet for at least 3 months, and then she would have to go through the rehabilitation process, enough time for her to lose her place at the university.

You can imagine how upset my daughter was and honestly, my mind was working in victim mode and I was imagining the worst scenarios. So, after a sleepless night, I made the decision to take all that out of my focus and quiet down. And the message I received during that morning's meditation was: " Go and do what you know needs to be done.” And I knew exactly what I had to do, which were two things: take care of my daughter as best I could and return to my art, to reconnect with myself. So I went back to work, and you can see the result here:

 
I consider this illustration that you are seeing to be a profound form of surrender. It was my deep connection with a prayer that was in my heart and in my whole being.
Do you see these little dots? I don't know how many hours I spent making them, but it was a lot. I completely surrendered to the process, while visualizing my daughter well, healthy, and happy.

In the following days, I began to affirm to myself that only wonderful professionals would take care of my daughter. I stopped complaining and started to give thanks because, after all, my daughter was alive and would be well. I maintained as much silence as possible in these last months, I really spoke as little as I could. I've been focused on taking care of my daughter, my family, and doing my art.

Don't think it was an easy process, because it wasn't. There were days when I felt discouraged, but I just kept going. And the outcome of the story was: In 15 days, the injuries on my daughter's body and face were healed, practically without scars. I found two wonderful doctors in a neighboring city who were true angels, very accurate and without drama, they told me: “She's young and healthy, she'll recover soon.”

 And that's what happened, a month after the accident, my daughter was already cleared to do physiotherapy, and we also found wonderful professionals there. A month and a half later, she was walking again, and now she's basically recovered and has returned to University, just in time not to lose the year.

I really couldn't be more grateful!

So here I am back, but different. I feel like this whole situation changed something inside me. I'm feeling peace now and it seems like a switch flipped inside me. As if I've truly surrendered and let go of something. I think in a way I've learned to look at things differently, to rush less, to appreciate more and to be more grateful. Life is truly precious.

                           

And finally, I want you all to know that I am very grateful to have been chosen by the author David Wimble to develop the illustrations for the Let's Meditate Series, because everything he writes is what I truly believe in and try to use in my daily life, even though we are physically distant, we are deeply connected by this work.

I sincerely hope that you feel the love that emanates from all this and that it brings inner peace and healing to your life wherever you are.

A big Hug from Brazil and until next time,

With all my heart,

Thaís Suizo