[Woodcarver] Alan, and backgrounds

[cynda douglas]

Hi, I have been reading all the great interactions with woodsy people. I'd 
like to make a comment or two.
Clive, I understand you are trying to get Alan to see it has to come from 
us. But I hope you remember, he may be in a different space, where you had 
major illness, but you were also able to see the light at the end of the 
tunnel by healing and hard work. He might me looking at a future where he 
has to accept be disabled the rest of his life. Where there is little hope 
of getting better, that is a nasty pill to swallow. One can not tell 
someone with major depression to just "Snap out of it."  It is usually a 
chemical change in the brain that need medical as well as trained treatment 
from a therapist.  Major depression is NOT something a person can just 
decide to fix and then leap out of bed some morning, and be all fixed. I do 
know wherein I speak. I've been there.

I don't know if he is getting help in this. The loss of ones abilities is 
like a death. It takes a period of grieving. Not fun to be around, but 
necessary. After the grieving process, and there is no way around it, then 
one can start to rebuild and see that it is possible to go on. If the 
grieving process is skipped, (the macho tough guy stuff) it will sneak up 
and get you sometime when you least expect it.  Again, I've walked the walk.

When a person is hitting bottom, they just need to know someone cares, and 
support. Everything said and around them looks black. It takes gentle 
encouragement to start to bring the light into focus, and it takes time.
Please, in coresponding with him, be gentle, OK?

BACKGROUNDS:  I haven't done relief carving yet, but many years ago I did 
leather carving. There are many tools made for backgrounds in leather. I 
can't help but wonder if some of these would work on wood, or some 
woods.??? Check with a Tandy store, or leather work supplier and see what 
they have. I haven't done it yet, and only theory, but can't see why they 
couldn't be used here, too.

Ok, I won't preach any more. Had to say it once as Alan concerns me.

Cynda



Good friends are like stars...
You don't always see them, but you always
know they're there.
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