Larry and I were driving home the other night after having spent a full day skiing. Well, Larry went skiing, I was watching the mountain. As the lifts closed and he swooshed into the lodge, I felt that some of the excitement had gone off for Larry when it came to skiing. It had almost become a technical activity that was interesting but no longer amazing or exciting.
During a visit To Florence, Italy' I toured a beautiful church called Holy Cross where prominent Florentines such as Rossini, Dante, Galileo and the most beloved artist, Michelangelo were buried in splendor and dignity!
All my artist life Michelangelo seemed alive - still instructing and guiding. My heart held a beat as I encountered his magnificent tomb {across from Galileo and beside Dante} and I observed the beautiful marble figures of Architecture, smiling proudly to herself because of his great achievements, Painting also exulted by his masterful style! However Sculpture appeared dismayed because "her dear son of Florence" was no more - and I came to tears. But I whispered a notion to her that all would be well, for the greats Bernini, Canova, Paul-Pruden would come in his foot steps!
As I sat on the tour bus returning to Rome that night, I remembered a curious saying "After awhile' having is not as pleasing as wanting! It is no logical - but it is often true"! But more curious. I found "the WHY" to my immediate situation in the quote by a light worker of the American Revolution Thomas Paine, "What we achieve too easy we esteem too lightly. It is dearness tat gives ALL it's value"
I still hold Michelangelo second (Beethoven is first} in the top five influences in my life.
You are a beautiful artist Inelia, and I thank you for this moment.
Inelia, your recollection about the falling leaves, and all the rest of the discussion, reminded me of a remark I once heard Byron Katie make. She's somewhat like you. She had just arrived to do The Work, as she calls it, with a large group of people. Having just gotten there, she was making some initial small talk to the gathering, and one of the things she said was how impressed she was, on the way to the venue, with all the drivers along the way: how they stayed in their lanes so nicely and didn't run into each other. This was a woman who had surely been seeing this on roads for decades, but I saw that she had been struck by it, and was delighted about it, anew—as if for the first time.
During a visit To Florence, Italy' I toured a beautiful church called Holy Cross where prominent Florentines such as Rossini, Dante, Galileo and the most beloved artist, Michelangelo were buried in splendor and dignity!
All my artist life Michelangelo seemed alive - still instructing and guiding. My heart held a beat as I encountered his magnificent tomb {across from Galileo and beside Dante} and I observed the beautiful marble figures of Architecture, smiling proudly to herself because of his great achievements, Painting also exulted by his masterful style! However Sculpture appeared dismayed because "her dear son of Florence" was no more - and I came to tears. But I whispered a notion to her that all would be well, for the greats Bernini, Canova, Paul-Pruden would come in his foot steps!
As I sat on the tour bus returning to Rome that night, I remembered a curious saying "After awhile' having is not as pleasing as wanting! It is no logical - but it is often true"! But more curious. I found "the WHY" to my immediate situation in the quote by a light worker of the American Revolution Thomas Paine, "What we achieve too easy we esteem too lightly. It is dearness tat gives ALL it's value"
I still hold Michelangelo second (Beethoven is first} in the top five influences in my life.
You are a beautiful artist Inelia, and I thank you for this moment.
Inelia, your recollection about the falling leaves, and all the rest of the discussion, reminded me of a remark I once heard Byron Katie make. She's somewhat like you. She had just arrived to do The Work, as she calls it, with a large group of people. Having just gotten there, she was making some initial small talk to the gathering, and one of the things she said was how impressed she was, on the way to the venue, with all the drivers along the way: how they stayed in their lanes so nicely and didn't run into each other. This was a woman who had surely been seeing this on roads for decades, but I saw that she had been struck by it, and was delighted about it, anew—as if for the first time.