THE COLORS OF SERENA’S WORLD
SERENA LEANED BACK IN HER LEATHER CHAIR, EYES SCANNING THE SKYLINE OF WASHINGTON D.C.
AT 38, SHE HAD BUILT A PRESTIGIOUS CAREER AS A LAWYER, AND A BEAUTIFUL PENTHOUSE THAT SHOULD HAVE MADE HER FEEL ON TOP OF THE WORLD. BUT THE TRUTH WAS, SHE FELT TRAPPED.
HER FINGERS HOVERED OVER THE KEYBOARD OF HER LAPTOP. HER INBOX WAS FLOODED WITH WORK EMAILS, BUT INSTEAD OF REPLYING, SHE OPENED A NEW TAB— AMAZON
COLORS OF SERENA’S WORLD 12%
MISO WAS HER ONLY TRUE COMPANION IN THIS PENTHOUSE, WHICH FELT TOO LARGE AND TOO EMPTY MOST DAYS
OUTSIDE OF COURTROOMS AND CASE FILES, SHE HAD NO TIME TO SOCIALIZE OR EVEN MEET ANYONE
THE ONLY THING THAT KEPT HER GROUNDED WAS HER PASSION FOR ART. LATE AT NIGHT, AFTER HOURS OF NEGOTIATIONS AND COURT FILINGS.
THE FINE ARTS HAD ALWAYS BEEN HER TRUE LOVE, BUT LIFE HAD TAKEN HER IN A DIFFERENT DIRECTION—TOWARDS LAW, RESPONSIBILITY, AND SUCCESS AT THE EXPENSE OF HER HAPPINESS.
HER PHONE BUZZED WITH NOTIFICATIONS, BUT THEY WEREN’T FROM FRIENDS. INSTAGRAM AND FACEBOOK PINGED CONSTANTLY, REMINDING HER OF A WORLD SHE NO LONGER FELT CONNECTED TO
TONIGHT, SERENA WAS DETERMINED TO FINISH A PAGE IN HER SCRAPBOOK
EVERY PIECE SHE GLUED DOWN FELT LIKE SHE WAS PUTTING TOGETHER A PART OF HERSELF THAT HAD BEEN LOST ALONG THE WAY.
SUDDENLY, MISO MEOWED LOUDLY, BREAKING THE SILENCE. SERENA SMILED, SCRATCHING BEHIND HER CAT’S EAR. "YOU’RE RIGHT," SHE WHISPERED. "I NEED MORE THAN THIS."
SHE HAD BEEN WORKING HARD TO BUILD A LIFE SHE THOUGHT SHE WANTED BUT HAD NEGLECTED THE THINGS THAT TRULY MADE HER HAPPY
IWILLMAKETIME .IWILLMAKETIME .IWILLMAKETIME . TIMETOLIVE , TIMETOLIVE , TIMETOLIVE , NOTJUSTWORK NOTJUSTWORK NOTJUSTWORK
SHE STARED AT HER JOURNAL, AN EMPTY PAGE WAITING TO BE FILLED.
THE WORDS WOULDN’T COME EASILY, BUT THEY HAD TO START SOMEWHERE. WITH A DEEP BREATH, SHE WROTE, TOMORROW, I WILL MAKE TIME. TIME TO LIVE, NOT JUST WORK.
COLORS OF SERENA’S WORLD
Serena found paper crafting to be therapeutic and relieves the stress from work by expressing her emotions through artwork
She found herself joining virtual retreats and classes to meet with other people virtually, and followed different community channels by Altenew.