light thoughts

well, friends.  what can i say of life this week? 
it continues.
sickness, health, dirty bathrooms, clean dishes, paintbrushes, toothbrushes, joys and frustrations. 
a week in the life. 
for the first time in a long time i destroyed one of my paintings this week.  it was, frankly, horrible.  but, for the first time in a long time, i finished a painting and thought "this one is awesome".  so, thankfully some balance. 
i've started following the jewish tradition of lighting a sabbath candle at dinner and letting it burn itself out.  so, all evening i traipse along this candle to whichever room i'm in.  it's amazing what one single flame can do, and make you feel.  what beauty there is in light that cannot be found in darkness.  i don't remember ever walking into a dark room or going outside on a starless night and thinking "what beautiful darkness!".  but this flame, with it's haloed warmth, its perseverance, its quiet strength... beauty.
i read this in my book of common prayer today:

William Law, an eighteenth-century English cleric, wrote, "All that is sweet, delightful, and amiable in this world, in the serenity of the air, the fineness of seasons, the joy of light, the melody of sounds, the beauty of colors, the fragrancy of smells, the splendor of precious stones, is nothing else but Heaven breaking through the veil of this world"

what a thought!  this candle is a little breakthrough. the love i feel for my children.  the pride i feel for my husband. the cool, sharp air in the winter.  the promise of spring.   and the beauty i can bring to this world... all actually imparting glimpses of the eternal.

i am inspired to continue painting beautiful things, and to keep my eyes open for what tears in the veil i'm able to catch.