Turning Around

A rainy, dreary Ash Wednesday. Surprisingly, I'm not depressed in the least. Inspite of the fact that our ponds are looking more and more like one big lake. I'm grateful that our basement is dry as well as the barn, and hey, our roof isn't leaking either. Knock on wood.

Got ashes on my forehead today. Fr. John, in his homily, talked about this woman with Alzheimers, and how she would walk the halls in the nursing home all day. But, when she got to the end of the hall, there's a wall, and someone would have to help her turn around because she no longer remembered how to turn around.

I envisioned a woman, in a pink robe and slippers standing up against the wall. Just standing there. Then I pictured a nurse who would lovingly and gently turn the woman around so she could continue walking.

The act of compassion and mercy was offered to those who would turn this woman around. The chance, the opportunity to do something so simple, yet, I got to think, in God's eyes, it would be a really, really, really, big deal.

Fr. John also added that there are times in all our lives when we forget to turn around.

It really made me think, all day long, I've been thinking about this. God isn't expecting fabulous art out of me, but mercy and compassion . That I can do.

Yesterday, at the gallery I was looking at this painting by Rene' Magritte. It really bugged me.

He entitled it, "Son of Man". hmmm.....I get the apple part. His own take on this painting was "Everything we see hides another thing, we always want to see what is hidden by what we see".

I see.

Rene' was born 11/21/1898 and died 8/15/1967 at the age of 69. He sold his first painting when he was 25 years old. His first job was drawing motifs for wallpaper. (Personally, I'd love a job like that.) I like his art work because it gets me to think, and ask questions until I understand.

Actually, I love it that Rene' even bothered to paint at all. Sometimes I'm sure we all think it doesn't matter if we do our art. It's all going to end up in the landfill someday. But, ashes to ashes. That's what is supposed to happen. In the interim, someone's life may be a little bit better because of your doing what you love.

(That apple is making me nuts~!!)