Art Of Being Single

By JoAnn Scaife

Have you ever considered your life of singleness as a piece of art? Most singles view singleness as a curse, or do not view it at all. Some just absolutely do not want to discuss it. Well, we want to challenge you to think differently this year by taking the time out and really viewing where you are as a single person, beginning with looking at your life as a gift and a piece of art.

Let’s pause a minute and look at this concept, “singleness as a piece of art,” from an artist view.

Singleness as a piece of art is simply viewing singleness through the eyes of a true artist and his masterpiece. Applying this concept to singleness, I want to take you through four important parts that contribute to creating a painting, 1) a blank canvas, which represents you and your beginning or coming into the world and the mind, 2) the sketch, which represents influences of parents and surroundings, 3) colors, which represents life experiences, and finally 4) the painting or masterpiece, which represents your life expression.

Firstly, let’s look at the blank canvas, which simply represents the beginning of ones life. Each of us was brought into this world for a purpose and reason. We all were conceived in our mother’s womb and supernaturally developed by God. We all have been given the gift to breath the breathe of God daily in this life. In the womb we were imputed with specific gifts and abilities to fit each person. Slowly as we become in the world and experience our atmospheres and the different surroundings we begin to learn and develop our individual make up which contributes to and defines the blank canvas.Then the actual concept of the painting is then developed and thought out as we grow.

Second, the sketch is made with our parents and surroundings- daily influences; painting daily the way we walk, talk, and react to our world. Taking the best parts of our lives and painting them on the canvas of our mind. Every stage of life we are creating a painting with our lives. Individually we slowly develop the gifts and talents that were given and try to discover purpose. As we discover, gradually, we live it out.

Living it out clearly represents the third part, the colors of life experiences, defeats and wins. Each color represents some experience in life that we embrace and form into the painting. Yes, you choose the colors to develop the masterpiece, which represents your life. Then finally, life becomes a drawing or painting of experiences both good and bad.

When faced with each step of each day the discovery question is, “what type of painting are we creating with our lives?” Is the painting of your life one that is going to enhance your life and others or will it draw others away? We all should strive to paint the best picture we can with our lives, because with each step and stroke, we have been created for a reason and to lead someone else to their right path and masterpiece. Then eventually match up with the right individual created for us.

The whole reason for taking a look at this concept is because as you review your life, you should realize that God is the the true artist and the one who develops your painting or life masterpiece.

So think outside the box this year about your singleness and begin to view it as a piece of art, continually sketching it out daily. You will then discover that singleness at this time is a gift. A gift to discover who you are and what type of gift you have become to the one that will receive.

**JoAnn Scaife is the Director/Campus Minister/ Ministerial Specialist for TSU and Fisk University of Tennessee Baptist Convention and an Music entrepreneur in Nashville, TN.