I finally get some time to play with paint and create a first wash for the latest project. Today, I’ll introduce the main subjects into the work. Depending on how it turns out, I might go a step farther and craft something for our home. Either way, it feels good to let creativity flow.
My current fiction read is The Island of Sea Women by Lisa See. It’s a good story about a culture of strong women, a place, and events I’ve known nothing about. Yesterday, a scene in the story took my breath away by its depiction of cruelty. I haven’t been able to get it out of my mind.
History teaches us that the human heart can be unimaginably dark and cruel; paradoxically, kindness, compassion, and self-sacrifice shine lights in even the darkest times. I worry at our modern propensity to attempt to erase or ignore history. Without such lessons, are we doomed to repeat atrocities?
Here, in Kamloops, we’re giving space for our indigenous neighbours to grieve lives lost and cruelty inflicted. Again, it’s hard to fathom the heart of humans believing they were doing the right thing by these people. But, I best not become too self-righteous in my musing.
My place in the world, and the influence I have is relatively small. Or is it? If I make a positive difference in the life of one person on one day and they, in turn, go on to do the same, isn’t that changing the world? Or at least influencing it?
I continue looking in the mirror this week, asking questions and pondering truth, making choices and setting intentions. Looking for beauty in creation, and remembering to look for it in the faces of those I encounter day by day. Because if don’t see it there, I’m not really seeing it elsewhere.
I may finish his painting today, using the quiet time in which I work to think about these and other things. Pondering. Questioning. Listening.
Painting makes you happy and the results reflect your joy!