Today's Meditation:
In 1996, I moved to Northern Virginia - where I lived until I moved to Seattle in 1999.
One
of the most enjoyable things I did in the last year that lived in the
area - was to spend a wonderful afternoon walking through the National Gallery of Art.
Now, there are many magnificent works of art in
that illustrious complex of buildings...but, art speaks to the
soul...and it wasn't in any of the main galleries that I found that
which truly touched my soul. it was in an out-of-the way portion of one
of the galleries, that I happened upon a painting that struck me like
thunder. I stood transfixed for a long time...savoring the painting
before me.
A painting by the Dutch artist, Ludolf Backhuysen, called "Ships in Distress off a Rocky Coast", 1667
 |
| National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C. |
More works by the artist:
Fortunately, I was able find a print in the gallery gift shop, before leaving that day.
The
painting, for me, is a metaphor. For life is a voyage...and there will
always be ships that are in distress. Ships that are approaching danger,
some that are just escaping. Some that steer well clear of danger, and
others that rush upon reefs with wild abandon - heedless of the warnings
of others. Some ships will crash upon the rocks - and others may yet
avoid such disaster. Keen eyes are needed to read the charts, to scan
the horizon, to read the currents, to know the shifting patterns of
wind.
Voyages are not without their dangers - but ships are not made to sleep in ports.
No comments:
Post a Comment