Coastline Memories

This painting characterizes much of life, both by what we see in it as well as what we don't see or what is just beyond our vantage point, our moment of time. We all have stability and peace, and we all have trials and storms for which the "lighthouses" of our life provide a sense of direction. We all have "rocks", reminders of lessons learned and opportunities taken.
 
With blue skies overhead, a gentle breeze rustled the grasses and wildflowers underfoot and caused the waves to lap gently at the rocks. The view ahead was captivating. The many wildflowers and random forms of the rocks were striking against the stark lines of the buildings that lay beyond them. The scene bids us to smell the many fragrances that fill the air; the aroma of wildflowers and the sea mingled together.

The lighthouse and various houses stand tall and firm reminding us that there is stability and security even as, we know that the raging wind may bring troubled waters. What brings stability in our lives? Many times life throws us trials and storms. Sometimes we need to look for our stability. But like a lighthouse shining in a storm, if we watch and look and search and give ourselves time, we can find our "lighthouse", our stability amidst the "storms."

The green grass with blue skies and blue-green seas are cool colours and they remind us of peace that we can find even though at times this peace can be quite elusive.

The sounds we imagine in this scene are rather quiet; the gentle lapping of the water on the rocks, the breeze blowing through the grass. These sounds also portray the calm serenity of this scene and yet the lighthouse reminds us that there are times when the sounds in this landscape are not so peaceful, but rather quite upsetting and frightening.

The rocks look so stable and strong, yet we know that these rocks have been driven to their home on the shoreline by the wild storms of the past. We all have rocks in our lives; monuments from past experiences that have been "washed" into our lives and shape our "shoreline". They shape who we are. These rocks are not necessarily bad rocks or tumultuous experiences, but may well be positive adventures that shape us.

In so many ways this scene demonstrates our lives, the ups and downs, the past and present that shape our lives. All of us have memories of childhood, of carefree summer days. Sometimes a smell, or a sound, or the colours we see, can bring these memories all back. I pray that we all have many good memories and that we can have open eyes to see the good that came about from any bad memories of the past.

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