I have to admit that I was a little surprised at the feedback I got from my illustration I posted yesterday. I'll see if the illustrator doodling bug bites again sometime. Thank you for the encouragement in my illustration, and support in my questioning comments that don't always make sense. The friend I heard it from was actually a fellow BLM, so I didn't feel as taken aback as I would have if it were someone else. Sometimes those beliefs are what hold a person up...even if it doesn't make sense to me or work in my faith system. I realize I give a lot more grace to others who have experienced a tragic loss, than I do to those who haven't. Not that I'm openly snarky with those who haven't, but even the thoughts in my own head are indicative of how I'm more willing to overlook something if they've experienced great pain. But everyone experiences pain. Right? Even with my writing that down and "saying" it out loud, I still get frustrated with people's comments.
Gift
8x10
Watercolor
The poem is:
All men are in some degree impressed by the face of the world; some men even to delight.
This love of beauty is taste. Others have the same love in such excess that, not content with admiring,
they seek to embody it in new forms. The creation of beauty is art.
-Ralph Waldo Emerson.
You're running a fantastic blog on an extraordinarily difficult subject; I don't think you should be surprised to get an avalanche of positive feedback every now and then. :)
ReplyDeleteI think you know me well enough to know how much and why I appreciate what you're doing here, even though there's no way I could possibly relate to the specifics.
Wow, this is so beautiful. I love love love Emerson.
ReplyDeleteI also have to remind myself all the time that I have no idea what other people have been through. I find myself assuming most people haven't experienced the kind of pain I have recently, but the reality they could have. There's a lot more shit in this world than I ever really realized before losing Stevie.
Xoxo
Wow - this painting is stunning. incredibly beautiful.
ReplyDeleteRachel that's a good point about how different beliefs hold different people up.
I definitely tolerate certain comments better when they come from others who have also experienced grief and loss than from people who haven't. but... relating to what Kristin said, I realise I can never know what someone has been through! So I will try to be more accepting.
Beautiful poem! I agree. I tend to be sympathetic to those who have given me the most support or had a loss, but you are right. Everyone hurts and we'll never know what that person is dealing with. All grief is so very different. (((HUGS)))
ReplyDeleteAs my faith in a God who doesn't make sense, is truly the air that I breath. I hate the thoughtless cliches "we Christians" spew out. My only concrete understanding of God comes from scripture. He was very blunt and very honest in his word. If he wants relationship with you, I think it's only fair that you're welcome to be just as honest with him.
ReplyDeleteof course that's probably a skewed take on something I interpreted wrong. (so, take it with a grain of salt)
As always, forgive me for treading on ground I know nothing of.
Bless you in this valley.
Beautiful watercolor. Amazing. And I love your comments - I totally agree.
ReplyDelete