Sunday, September 8, 2024 Quote of the week

“There is a kind of beauty in imperfection.”

Conrad Hall

My husband said that an artist embodies the essence of a person by discovering the imperfections. The corner of an eye slightly droops a bit lower than the other, or perhaps a smile that broadens a little unevenly, the bottom lip curling gently in a direction the top one doesn’t want to follow. As Jim sketched portraits, he studied the faces and mannerisms, which enabled him to capture their truest being.

Surrealist painter Salvador Dali conceded that we should, “have no fear of perfection…” because it’s unattainable. Influenced by the culture of his time, Dali’s style certainly did not reflect perfection but rather the irrational and distorted perspective of the ordinary. And isn't that what grief does? Distorts reality? The reality we are left with can only be revitalized with reorganizing the chaos death has created. It takes time, perseverance, and grace.

Time. It’s so elusive and all too often squandered. But everything we do at each moment is building for us a means to reorganize the mess we feel after losing a loved one. When we don’t allow ourselves the time, we are allowing other circumstances to steal it from us. This is our time to grieve.

“Endurance is not just the ability to bear a hard thing,” author William Barclay quotes, “but to turn it into glory.” Turning grief into glory…that seems implausible, but nature teaches us otherwise. Through winter’s darkness, spring bursts forth the light of new growth. The process of healing will look different from others, but it is all productive nevertheless and beautiful in its own majesty. This is our time to heal.

To pardon ourselves from the emotional turmoil we endure, nurtures the tenderness and vulnerability of our hearts. Allowing ourselves grace is a metaphoric bridge…one escorting us from the traumatic side of grief over to a dwelling of peace and appreciation for the life and love we once shared. The second book of Corinthians, 12:9-10, Paul writes that the grace of Jesus, “... is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” If the Almighty bestows to us grace, then we can honor the gift within us as well. This is our time of grace.

Jim and Dali did not try to master perfection in their art. Instead, they looked through their own lens and reflected that into their work. Although different, both took the path of creativity. We too can create on the canvas of our hearts a new and reorganized artform. One that truly speaks of us. Honor the processes of grieving.

There is beauty in the imperfection of our healing journey.

Storylight A transformational journey SHARON M WIBLE

Sunday, September 8, 2024 Quote of the week

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