November 22, 2017 – Welcome it all

The beginnings of the next painting. This one will be called “Napa” (photo on the left, painting on the right).

Listen to this post:

I started writing a post about a trip I took last weekend – a trip down an online rabbit hole into the darkness that is emerging in our world, seemingly at every turn.  I’m so compelled to understand human behavior in the big scheme of things, that I just can’t help myself!  Though I did have some insights from down there – about seeking wholeness rather than perfection, I’ve re-considered whether I really want to be that deep and complicated today.  I decided to keep what I say much simpler and to be much more brief.

This is Thanksgiving week in the US – when we are generally talking about blessings and gratitude, which isn’t as easy this year as much of what is happening in our world seems like anything but a blessing.  Life on Earth is complicated.  Every aspect of it is a mixed bag – and always has been.  But it seems like the bag-of-life is more mixed up than ever before.  Sometime last year I saw this statement go by on my Facebook feed:

“Things are not falling apart, they are being revealed – we just have to hang on.”

This rang so deeply true to me that it is now burned into my brain – and heart.  I repeat it to whomever I encounter who expresses fears about our state of affairs.  If I’ve learned anything from the times of great personal trial in my life, it is that my capacity to hold what is always increases by living through the struggle.  The greater our capacities, the more we find blessing everywhere.  And the less we rail against what is, the more we allow reality to teach us what we need to learn.  Our times are calling upon us to practice radical welcome.

There is much work to do, AND there is much to pause to be grateful for.  I am grateful for all my beloved teachers who illuminate my path, for a community of artists devoted to their work and to each other, for the capacity to see and create beauty, for those who support my endeavors, making what I do and who I get to be possible, for the belonging of family all around, for the love and support of a great person as my life partner and for the ever-faithful, ever-playful companionship of our Labrador, Bo-Doggy.

Happy Thanksgiving, everyone.

Love,

Cara