JOURNAL FOR SKYLA

Dear Journal

My name is Skyla, I bought you yesterday at the store to help me put my thoughts and feelings into words and action. It's always been a struggle for me to put my thoughts and feelings into words. Taking action with my thoughts and feelings has also been a problem for me. I never been a go-getter. You can say I'm shy. I never stood out. The background has always been my friend. I'm hoping my dearest journal who I'm going to call Reina, which means Queen in Spanish would help me in my time of need. Next week is the annual Arts for Christmas, a week of singing, drawing and writing all about Christmas. Everyone who is anyone has entered the contest doing what they love expect for me.

In my town of Sun Valley, I'm known for my beautiful paintings. I do a lot of paintings of family, friends and of course my home. Sun Valley is a beautiful place to sit and think about a lot of things especially during this time of the year. My dearest Reina, I don't know what to do. I leave you for now my dear friend until we meet again.

Dear Reina

Hello again my friend. The annual Arts for Christmas week is fast approaching. I've seen so many people signing up. Many of my friends have been asking me when I'm going to sign up. I have yet to give them an answer. My struggle with people judging me is real. I'm scared people are not going to like my work. I communicate my thoughts and feelings through my paintings.

I look at my paintings and words come out but not the words I want. My closes friends and family have seen my work and they love it. They constantly tell me to show off my work. I never agree with them. I'm scared my words won't mean as much as they tell me it will. I can never accept my work being in the public eye. You see if my friends and family love my work maybe others will love it too. Help me my dearest Reina put my thoughts and feelings into words so I can take the action needed to bring my art to the public. Until we meet again my dearest Reina.

Dear Reina

Hello again my friend. I'm still the same person. Nothing has changed. I don't know what's wrong with me. How come it's so easy for me to write to you" To speak what I need to you my dear friend. Shyness being in the background has always taken root in me. I know who I am as a person but maybe there is a part of me that doesn't know who I am. I know my friends and family keep saying to me no one is going to make fun of my work. How can I believe them when I don't believe it myself. Maybe if I start painting something will come to me. Until we meet again my dear Reina.

Dear Reina

Hello again my friend. I decided to take my own advice. I'm working on a new project. I don't know it's good enough. Oh My God! what is wrong with me? Skyla, you known your work is good enough to show people. Your words are amazing. My dearest Reina, I keep telling myself that and as usual I'm too shy and scared to do anything about it. Action, it's easy for people to act before they think. For me it's not easy. I always thought before I did anything. Sometimes it works for me and sometimes it doesn't. Today is one of those days where I overthink everything. It should be easy for me to go and sign up for the contest but it's not. Until we meet again my dearest Reina.

CARLY

I hate seeing my best friend act like this. She is good at what she does but the thing with Skyla is that she's a sensitive soul. I've seen her paintings and read her stories, she is so good. The problem is that she never does anything to let anyone see her work. She deserves everything and I'm going to give it to Skyla. I am going to push her in the right direction.

Dear Reina

Hello again my friend. You won't believe what happened. My best friend Carly told me she signed me up for the contest. I want to be angry at Carly for what she did. I should be angry but I'm, not. I'm going to take this opportunity and turn it into something special.I'm going to find my voice through my paintings. My dearest Reina this is what I need to do. All my thoughts and feelings I have buried within my soul has to come out through this painting. I have to find my words I know I have also through this painting and put them into action. I have to tell my story. I can't be afraid anymore. My time has come to come out of my shell, to stop being afraid and to learn not to struggle anymore. Until we meet again my dearest Reina.

Dear Reina

Hello again my friend. My painting is almost complete. I call my painting Coming out of my Shell. I think this title is appropriate. I found my voice through you my dearest Reina. My words I have written inside you has been magical mixed in with a little bit of nervousness and uneasiness. I am getting what it means to be free with words. Thoughts and feelings are words that are inside of me and I am slowly with your help my dearest Reina and with a little push from Carly getting out of my comfort zone. I'm still scared of what people will think of me and my painting but I know I have to do this. I can't struggle like this anymore. Here I go putting my thoughts and feelings into words and action through my painting called Coming out of my Shell. Until we meet again my dearest Reina.

Dear Reina

Hello again my friend. I finished my painting. Wow, I can't believe how it turned out. I'm happy with how my painting turned out. It's beautiful and tells the story of me. On the bottom of my painting are my words that read Through struggle comes a voice you never knew existed. Words are powerful and they come out any way you want. Now it's time to put my painting into action at the Christmas contest. I'm still scared but my friends and family believe in me so I am going to believe in myself. Until we meet again my dearest Reina.

Dear Reina

Hello again my friend. Well today was the contest and all I can say is I'm happy. The whole town loved my painting. It was everything I could ever have asked for. Carly and the rest of the people I love were right. My dearest Reina thank you for helping me find my voice, for letting me put my thoughts and feelings into words and finally into action. I could never have done this without you.

All my love

Skyla