Sending Spoons - I Hope You Are AWAP

'Sending Spoons'

© 5/11/16 by Shiloh Moore

8"x10" Zentangle Pitt Pen and Paper Collage

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This card is a Zentangle Collage called ‘Sending Spoons,’ for my friends with chronic illness. 

There is an analogy used to describe life with chronic illness by Christine Miserandino called 'The Spoon Theory.' (read in full here: 'The Spoon Theory' written by Christine Miserandino for www.butyoudontlooksick.com )  Christine has Lupus, but many with a variety of chronic illnesses and 'invisible' disabilities identify with it, and affectionately refer to themselves as 'Spoonies.'  

In her analogy, spoons symbolise energy (also pain threshold.)  A person with chronic illness only has a certain amount of energy per day, so only a few spoons.  Every task takes a certain number of spoons.  Often, you don't know how many spoons you will have throughout each day so you must be wise with how you spend them.  If there's something you have to do that day, you must keep enough spoons for the task. You might have to give up doing something else in order to have enough energy to do what you need to do.  You learn to prioritise what you spend your ‘spoons’ on.

Many with chronic illness also use a phrase to sign off messages with - 'I hope you are AWAP'.  AWAP stands for 'As Well As Possible'. 

So I came up with this pic 'Sending Spoons' using Zentangle patterns on spoons, with the phrase 'I HOPE U R AWAP.'  

(I also like how there's 5 horizontal spoons, so to me, I also see a mini musical staff!  Energy is musical!)

Thanks for using your spoons to read this.  Sending you spoons, and I hope you are AWAP!