STAY, in the Breath

I see story written everywhere, in the earth, in the sky, in our exquisite form and functions, at the market and at the theatre, in scraped knees and scrapped lives, in triumph and pride, broken hearts and bent over limbs.

When I came upon this place, pictured, just a little ways from my home, it was the story of beauty being closer than I thought and inviting me in. I needed that and even still ached to absorb it, to believe it—in a practical way.

As a teacher to my children, I feel it’s my privilege to facilitate this understanding, but often I feel inadequate as I stretch for it myself. How literally awesome an experience it has been to discover peace with inadequacy being the key to grasping the very best stories of this life: stories of perseverance, not perfection.

As an artist, I want to join the chorus. I want to tell a story with my camera, with my pen, my guitar, and most importantly with my life—as a natural continuation—not shying away due to my lack rather recognizing the glorious bursting through my fragmentation, growing wings.

When I get outside I see Beauty invites us into experience imperfect perfection and then we naturally overflow the story as it fills us, as it heals us – even as we walk through an often times chilling scene.

I believe we were each created in the likeness of a Creator. Created to create. There’s something in each of us, a story to tell, a creativity to understand the purposefulness of. Caught up in the mystery of this story of beauty there’s no room for comparison or concern of whose story is “more,” only the joy of being a part. It’s OK those times that we are not caught up in beauty, and rather have stopped alongside the road wounded and at the mercy of compassionate fellow sojourners…the story in flesh and blood. The point remains—the story is everywhere! It’s BIG, way bigger than us, yet somehow we are invited in to the grandness, whispered to softly, “you are grand too”.

Today, everyday, amidst international turmoil, suffering beyond my imagination, and decay on so many levels I’m praying for eyes to see the beauty of the story written everywhere, to not only know but feel it’s nearness now, even in me. “…Joy beyond the walls of the world, poignant as grief.”

Beauty can startle us to life, because the story is true.

“The world is indeed full of peril, and in it there are many dark places; but still there is much that is fair, and though in all lands love is now mingled with grief, it grows perhaps the greater.” ― J.R.R. Tolkien, The Two Towers

The story is true.

Thanks for reading!

Raynna

p.s. I did some painting this winter!