“Seeking, Striving, in it with all my Heart” 48x48in oil on canvas
“I am seeking, I am striving, I am in it with all my heart.”
-Vincent Van Gogh
This is the part where I stare at the blinking cursor on my screen. Because there’s a jumble of thoughts, of what I could or should or want to say to bring the whole thing full circle, to express my gratitude, my pervasive hope that creating matters– to our spirit, to our homes, to our world. What a wild thought.
Today’s painting is large. I’ve been working on it on and off all month long, and this morning I put the final touches on it, stood back to look at it, and was overcome by how hard this month was, how much joy it produced.
My dear community of fellow 31ers, I have many times this month been awed by you, your work, your vulnerability. You’ve made me laugh and cry. You’ve made me hopeful. I’ve been impressed, jealous (not super proud of that one), moved, curious, excited. But most of all, I’ve felt supported and held by a precious community. I hope you have felt the same.
I wrote a blessing as a companion to today’s painting. It’s for the seeker, the 31er. It’s for you.
For the Seeker, A Blessing
May you uncover not only what you seek
But what the soil of your search makes bloom
Not only what you are certain of
But mysteries holding together that which fades
May the light that is already yours
(and always has been)
Find new cracks and crevices
Into which to pour and reveal itself
And when petals turn brown and crisp
Clinging, absurdly to what is disappearing
May their memory guide you
To your next discovery
But until it beckons,
May you stand still, awed,
long enough to know
The joy of flight
The blessing of travel
The gift of the season that was
And will be
Again.
All 31 coming exclusively to my subscribers list tomorrow Feb. 1 at 8pm. Make sure you’re on it here.
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Written by Denise Hopkins
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Are you doing planning to do prints of “Seeking, Striving, it is with all my heart “
Yes!
Absolutely gorgeous work, Denise!