Water Prayer by Mira Clark – Oil on canvas – 24 x 24 inches.
During these recent months of life in our “Sweet Land of Liberty,” how many prayers of gratitude do you think God receives? For example, prayers such as, “I give thanks for my life and health and for the lives and health of my friends and family.” More likely, I imagine, God gets lots of petitions, of wishes to be granted, such as: “Please God, let the Packers beat the Cowboys.”
Other than Abraham offering to God the life of his son Isaac, how often does God get offered anything at all? Something simple, let’s say, such as my colleague Mira Clark shows in this admirable image. “What is the woman offering?“ a friend asked. “And what is it that symbol above her hands?”
The symbol is obviously important, and I’m not sure what it means. Does that matter? Instead of the symbol, let’s imagine something else, anything: a bird’s nest, for example, or a small brass bell dusted with snow, or a bouquet of cypress roots, or even a cocoon of maple leaves about to burst into . . . ? Is the symbol as important as the gesture itself? For me, the gesture, a radiant woman offering light and water, is sufficient, the crux of the image.
We’re aware that we are living in a swamp, bombarded by government lies, deliberate cruelty, and hatred as matters of official national and international policy. What can an individual offer instead? How about Truth, for example, kindness, love, and light as well? Since God already has these things, why not offer them to other humans instead?
More of Mira’s thoughtful images appear on her website: miraclark.com
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For more thoughts and images:
My book ☛ Double Vision, Waking Dreams
My website ☛ JohnMichaelKeating.com
