I did it!! I finished the painting! My first one ever. Today I worked with my white, silver and gold paint pens to add some highlights. Despite a small niggling feeling of dissatisfaction, I decided the painting was done. After signing it, I headed over to my altar for a final goodnight meditation.
Thanks to my InterPlay practice, I’ve begun improvising songs, often as a form of meditation. As I kneeled in front of my candle-lit altar, the following chant came to me: “Surrender to the rhythm of the life that I have.” Suddenly the realization hit me: These words belong on my painting!! I rushed over, grabbed the white paint pen, and voila!
Although the words look hastily done, I’m so pleased with the final product. I’d been wondering (sometimes judgementally) WHY I’d been painting — of all things — a fetus!? But these new words make it oh-so-clear. The baby symbolizes me surrendering to the rhythm of my life — this life! — with all its disappointments and regrets and surprising turns of events. I can’t know the future; I can’t change the past. But I can surrender into living the life that I have right NOW.
In this moment, that means surrendering into sleep. Good night!
I am sure our inner critics are always going to be nagging at us about a piece and if it’s ever good enough. From the perspective of an outsider looking at your painting I have to say this is a bold piece and in a totally amazing way. Love the little chant you included in it because it’s so true, especially when birthing. You said it looks hastily done but I think that look suits the whole topic of this piece because when in the middle of a contraction who’s going to take that extra second to make something look near perfection? We’re raw in this state, and your raw looking words suit it to a T. That’s all just my humble opinion!
@Anne I’m glad you liked the design-aspect of the words. I feel satisfied by the LOOK, too.
@B Ahhhhh, thank you for calling the piece “bold.” That feels really satisfying to me, and I think it’s true. I soooo appreciate you pointing out that in the middle of a contraction, who can think about perfection!? Here’s to honoring the contractions in our lives (and to the inanity of trying to make them be any more perfect than they already are)!!
YAY!!
YAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAY!
Love it Gretchen!
Sing it sista. Live it! I love the birth metaphor, the painting, the simply profound message that always fits, all of us.
Awesome. Thanks for sharing. Happy Birthday.
Thanks, Gabriela. You are such a juicy ball of loving energy. I’m singin’ it, sista! 110%