I am more and more fascinated, enchanted, perhaps even bewitched by the process of painting, or it might be the creative process in its entirety. It feels to me as if while painting (and I experience the same designing/decorating) that I look at what I am working on, and I look and I look more, and then, sometimes very slowly, I begin to see into the future of what the painting (or room) will look like. I can see the next step to take to reach that more complete painting. Sometimes a lot of patience is required waiting to see what comes next, and I have learned that usually it is not a good idea to proceed without knowing where I am headed.
I suppose life is often like that too…but then sometimes we have to just jump in even if we aren’t sure of what it will look like or if we will make a mess of things. I have learned that it usually all works out and a ‘set-back’ may be just what I needed to gain a new view, but sometimes it’s difficult to not hold on. One of the benefits of aging is that perspective comes with time and somehow all of the seemingly off track things that I have done now make perfect sense and are relevant in my life today. Full circle so to speak in the cycle of a life lived.
It takes a lot of energy to call the future into the present, at least for me, and it is becoming quite pleasurable to allow it to happen in its own sweet time (actually there is no other choice ). I have to stay attentive though, giving my full attention, repeatedly over a day or sometimes days to see where to head next.
This process is also giving me hope that we can call forth a better future for everyone on the planet, not just the few. There are more and more of us who see a better, more sustainable and loving way to inhabit this planet that could alleviate the suffering that exists all around us. We have to be willing to open our eyes and bear witness to know that things must change – Can you imagine that there are billions of people who struggle to survive every day. Over 1.2 billion live on less than $1.25 per day. It’s hard to fathom such numbers but we must if we want to end the suffering that impacts every single one of us, whether we recognize this or not.
So I shift from my painting, into the rest of the world again and again each day, giving my full attention to a more complete, more beautiful future on my canvas and on the planet.
Will you join me in seeing a more beautiful future for all of us and an end to suffering?