Well, I hadn’t either… until she appeared on my canvas, way back in 2018. Part Mermaid and part Manatee!
I was a very new artist in those days, only just learning to listen deep. (And how to wash paint brushes!)
Officially, she is The Muse. And she is teaching me, still. Teaching me, mostly, about seeing. (And about new uses for my adventures in the way back world of Greek School, aka Seminary’s baptism by fire!)
Let’s fast-forward to this moment and a close-up glimpse of my “finished” friend.
The Greek words painted near her eyes represent three kinds of seeing. The one below the eye on your right is blepo which means to pay attention… to be possessed of sight or have the power of seeing. It can also be translated as, Behold!
The top one on your left is orao which has to do with watching and guarding. To be vigilant and conscious.
And the one on the left, beside her nose, is a form of gnosis which is about coming to know or recognize or understand.
I will confess to having been really lost, those early days in Greek School. The light came on when I realized that the word blepo was familiar to me from fancy medical names I had learned for eye surgery procedures. And, miraculously, there was hope!
The whole vision thing has been much on my mind again, lately. Literally.
I got new glasses – lenses and frames – in June, just before I left for France. I didn’t want to miss anything!
I spend a lot of time taking them off and putting them on… trying to shift from laptop to phone to canvas to actual people I love. Which does, indeed, mean that it’s time for a new eye doc… right after the knee x-rays!
Kind of surprisingly, with all the things going on in this world, I keep dreaming about glasses! (Possibly because The Muse hangs on the wall at the foot of our bed… and she seems more insistent than usual!)
It feels like part of her urgency has to do with the news. And remembering. Especially Dr. King, whom I suspect is dreaming still.
There’s another part of her urgency, though, which feels like a call to me. To be open to seeing.
Here’s a bit of a story from last night…
It was back in the time I was painting The Muse and my glasses from those days needed a bit of a fit adjustment. (And some paint removal!)
There was a woman there – probably about 10 years older than I was – trying to pick out frames, which is difficult if you can’t see without glasses. She was debating between two choices.
Eventually, she asked if she could ask me a question, which went a lot like this:
Were the ones she liked best “too much” with color in the tortoise-shell frames? And, did I think she could wear them to church?
After confessing to being an artist, I wondered with her about what possible problem Creator could have with our being able to see AND liking our glasses!
Which, when you get right down to it, is actually a Filters issue!
And that, dear heart, is a whole other way to see!
Which brings us to a whole new adventure!
YES, you’re invited!!! Think of it as vision. As a living map from where you are to where you dream of being… And, before you cave to not ready or too busy or very scary, take a deep breath, please. And CLICK HERE for all the info! It’s a whole lot like glasses you can see out of and love!!!
ps… hurry!!! Our inspirational adventure starts soon and we’re keeping the group small!
pps… questions??? Click the link above and it will lead you to the calendar elves who would be delighted to hook you up with time for – well – questions! (We love questions!!!)