elizabethlevett

“Nothing is old, nothing is new, save the light of grace underneath which beats a human heart.” – Roualt

It’s been hard to write this past week or so. I’m finding my thoughts come in fragments of sadness and fear. It’s tempting to give in to the impulse to simply retreat from writing altogether when it seems there’s simply nothing worthwhile to say. To stay silent. But I know I’d only ending up thinking in circles, a downward spiral of despair that threatens to dim the light in so many hearts right now.

On Sunday I offered a workshop in creative collage making at our local library and got to spend two safe, joyful hours with a dozen women, talking, laughing, and making art together. I told them our plan would be to unplug and unwind, to avoid comparison and self-criticism, to explore images and textures, and to express whatever feelings we might be carrying, whatever stories we’re holding. Some of our attendees were carrying grief or anxiety, some said they don’t really have a creative practice on their own and welcomed the chance to sit together and create narrative with images. Image making is, after all, the way humans first wrote our stories. Releasing the story can free the heart, letting the light in. Sometimes this art making can be an enormous opportunity for healing and to allow in the possibility of delight. Most importantly, it gives us a chance to come home to who we are, who we mean to be, and to breathe a little.

“Fill your page with the breathings of your heart.” – William Wordsworth

I have no idea what to do about the world right now except to keep being in it, to keep showing up. While I’m here, I resolve to continue finding out what’s true, taking a stand, sharing information, voting, demonstrating, and doing all the other things we’re told can be of some help. But also, I plan to always make time to stop; to see and to find ways to create some measure of beauty when I can. I will also try whenever possible to gather with new and old friends for a few hours and spend some time showing each other that light of grace.

“Art is when a human tells another human what it is to be human.” – Adrian Elmer