To Live Fully Is to Die Empty
To understand what it means to live fully is to begin to understand what it means to die empty.
Have I explored all that I am?
Have I tapped into the deepest parts of myself?
Have I given all that I can?
Have I manifested every seed planted within me?
These questions form the heartbeat of my original artwork, “What Is Dying Empty.” This piece became a reflection of my own journey, a mirror that invites me, and those who encounter it, to pause and consider what it truly means to release every gift we hold inside.
The Art: Symbols of Purpose and Completion
Every detail within this piece speaks to my personal process of becoming whole:
• Empty Tree Branches — Completion. They represent the chapters of my life I’ve poured into, now fulfilled and released.
• Silhouette — Self. The vessel through which all creation flows.
• Tree Roots — Gifts. The unseen talents, passions, and callings that nourish me.
• Single Leaf — The Offering. My final gesture, symbolizing the act of giving all that I can.
• Gold — Ascension and Self-Actualization. The glow of inner mastery and divine alignment that comes from embracing my full self.
Hidden within the texture of the canvas is a quiet affirmation that I hold close:
“I shall leave nothing behind, for when I go, I will go emptied.”
Beyond the Canvas: My Journey as the Artist
“What Is Dying Empty” is not just a painting, it’s a reflection of my life in motion.
Through my work as an artist, curator, leader in childcare administration, mental wellness advocate, and lover of performance and music, I have learned that each of these expressions are branches of the same tree. They are all part of my purpose, rooted in community, creativity, and healing.
To me, dying empty means living with intention, creating with courage, and serving with love, leaving nothing of my potential untouched. It’s about honoring every gift God placed inside of me, no matter how different or unexpected the form it takes.
A Meditation on Wholeness and Healing
The concept of “dying empty” has become a spiritual practice for me, a call to mindfulness and a reminder that mental wellness and creativity are deeply connected.
When I create, I heal.
When I lead, I lift others.
When I pour out, I become full again.
The golden tones within this piece symbolize the process of self-actualization, not perfection, but release. It’s the art of becoming and unbecoming until I am free.
Call to Reflection
So I ask you: What would dying empty mean for you?
Is it sharing your voice?
Building the dream you’ve postponed?
Healing the parts of yourself that dim your light?
Whatever your answer may be, my invitation is this, leave nothing behind.
“What Is Dying Empty” is more than a visual story; it’s a declaration. A reminder that life is our greatest canvas, and fulfillment comes not from what we keep, but from what we give away.
