Aside from the occasional birthday card, I haven't been artsy since I put together my Bolivia photo album 4 months ago. 4 months ago! Have I really not created anything since then? How can it be that I've been home for that long? I'm 11 days short of my 5 month mark...
This time last year I was sending out support letters, facilitating at Tilikum during the day and waiting tables at night.
Painting is therapeutic for me. Have I not needed 'therapy' since I've been home? That is certainly not the case considering the continued reverse culture shock tensions, my 6th move of the year, and this new job.
Therapy happened today.
Maybe it's because of the quiet day I carved out for myself with an afternoon nap that I've been craving for weeks. I chose not to answer my ARC cell phone. I got to hug my mom this morning, and then I attended an amazing church service where being a Christian was FUN. A mom and her 2 daughters danced in the front during the songs. People were glad to be at church - and church was in a cold, school gymnasium. We sang about life and freedom. We clapped, prayed, held hands, and embraced. The pastor was genuine. In a couple weeks, church is moving to the streets to feed the homeless; this is their Sunday morning service.
I painted tonight. I dug out my paints and brushes and found an empty canvass tucked behind the couch. It doesn't really match the rest of my decor, but I set the finished product in my kitchen, anyway. It's a simple scene of grass and a few flowers with the word "splendor" scrawled across the top. The word is underlined in my Bible and I commented in the margin: "I like this word." Splendor. Read about splendor in Isaiah 60 & 61. I hope it gives you the chills. :)
...And so my therapy session concludes.
1 comment:
El, I wish I could have painted with you. Is all well? I hope so.
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