Re: The spiritual side of fabric arts/LONG
- From: Sally Swindells <sally_swindells@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Sat, 22 Oct 2005 20:08:11 +0000 (UTC)
On 22 Oct 2005 10:05:51 -0700, "Tina" <tina@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
>WARNING: This post probably should have been headed "OT" in some
>peoples opinions. In my opinion, it is not OT by any means if you are
>an artist of any kind. Furthermore, this post does contain a spiritual
>connotation. I am not a "religious" person by any means, but I do
>consider myself very, VERY spiritual - so if you are offended by
>spiritually related topics on this group, please read no further.
>
>I must admit, I did get my feelings hurt this week. I have thought
>about it, AFTER having a couple of good nights sleep, and, after having
>prayed and meditated on the subject for a couple of days. As of this
>morning, and after this posting, I promise to "let it go" and leave it
>in the hearts of those it touches. And, as a side note, I will remind
>you that I once posted that my mother has said for years, "Tina, you
>are just TOO sensitive."
>So there is the full disclaimer.
>
>I am not a malicious or criminal type person. I am a human being who
>loves and enjoys life and all it has to offer me. I have a terminal
>illness, which very nearly, permanently took my life almost 20 years
>ago. In fact, I was legally dead for part of my stay in the hospital,
>but that is another story which I will be all too happy to share with
>anyone who wants to hear it. I learned a LOT from that experience
>though, and that is a little of what goes into what I want to say in
>this post.
>
>Being an "artist" of any kind, be it quilting, sewing in general,
>painting, drawing, graphics, decorating, baking, cooking, gardening,
>writing, etc. - is a gift. Let me re-phrase that: Being an artist, and
>having a talent, is a GIFT. It is a gift that any one human has been
>given, to be able to express themselves, to be able to express
>feelings, emotions and the beauty and tragedy of life, through art.
>True feelings of a human beings heart and soul just can not be
>expresssed adequately in words, that is why we were given the gift of
>creating artistic expression. Anyone, who has been blessed enough to
>be given that gift, also has a responsibility to themselves, the giver
>of that gift and to the fellow human beings whom they share life with,
>to share that GIFT.
>
>I am not foolish or naive enough to think, that in this day and age,
>there aren't plenty of human beings who are ready, willing and able to
>steal and exploit the gifts and talents of others. But you know what?
>That's part of the gift too. Being able to stand tall, proud and
>confident, while still being humble enough to know that your gift may
>be taken in the wrong way, stolen even, exploited even and to "let it
>go." The person who stole it, the person who exploited it is also
>learning a valuable life lesson that they need to learn. Perhaps the
>person they stole it from, the person who was exploited, is also
>learning a valuable life lesson that they need to learn. It is kind of
>"kharma" in a manner of speaking, the old, "what's goes around, comes
>around" and believe me, it does and it will. But how you react to it,
>how you take it and learn from it and deal with it is the essence of
>your humanity. It is the core of your lifes learning and the kind of
>person you want to and will become.
>
>The other side of this, is the people in life who have been given that
>gift and can no longer share it. For example, I have a grandmother who
>used to make beautiful, handmade doilies. She would work for hours and
>hours on end making the most beautiful, most intricate designs that
>didn't just attract and touch your eye, they touched your very soul.
>They moved you, nearly to tears, that something so delicate, something
>so fragile and beautiful could be made by the human hand. It was truly
>a gift that inspired people she met in her life. My grandmother now
>has arthritis and Alzheimers Disease. She doesn't even remember HOW to
>crochet anymore. Her hands wouldn't allow her to hold a crochet hook
>if her very life depended on it. It makes her cry. It makes me cry.
>But man oh man, can she appreciate and enjoy a crocheted doilie made by
>someone else. It makes her so happy, so alive and joyful to see
>someone elses handwork. Of course she critiques it, points out what
>they could have done differently or better or what parts are
>outstanding to her. She doesn't want to "steal" it, she does want to
>"steal" a bit of their joy, their serenity in the work, their passion
>and that she does. And you know what else, every chance I get, I give
>it to her. It may be a picture of someone elses doilies, it may be one
>I found at a flea market, it may be one I find in a magazine - and she
>loves them all. She gets excited and "alive" over each and every one.
>She appreciates the emotions, the feelings the work and the GIFT of,
>and from, the person who created it.
>
>I have to say this much - the day, the moment, that I become so good,
>so prideful, of my quilting, my sewing, my writing, my gardening or my
>art, that I don't want to share it or have it shared with others, even
>at the risk of having it "stolen" from me - may God strike me dead that
>very moment. I will no longer be serving my purpose in life. I will
>no longer be truly sharing the GIFT I was given to be able to create
>beautiful things that touch peoples hearts and souls. I will no longer
>be enjoying and appreciating my own GIFT if I am no longer willing to
>share it with anyone and everyone that might possibily be touched by
>its meaning and its message.
>
>In this day and age of technology and convenience, beauty and tragedy,
>too many people have gotten wrapped up in the rules, regulations,
>commercialism and greed of life to appreciate the GIFTS, the truly
>special and important talents and GIFTS of their fellow human beings.
>There are a lot of people, just in this group, who still have that
>GIFT, who still have the GIFT of being able to create feelings and
>emotions that touch peoples hearts and souls through their art, their
>craft. There are a lot of people, just in this group, who no longer
>have the GIFT of being able to create, or to share their GIFT, and yet
>they still have the gift of being able to appreciate and enjoy the GIFT
>of others, when they are allowed to. It still touches their heart and
>soul and reminds them of the beautiful gifts life has to offer us and
>which life truly intended for us to enjoy. The GIFTS of our hands and
>hearts, not just our machines, our modern technology or our modern
>inventions.
>
>When you sew something, when you piece something together and you stand
>back and look at what you have created - do you think, I wonder how
>much money I can get for this? Is that truly the first thought that
>comes to your mind? Or do you stand back, in awe and wonder, look at
>what you have created and think, "Wow, I created that? It's
>beautiful!" Does it touch your heart? Does it move your soul? THAT
>my friends is a GIFT. Don't you, wouldn't you, want to share that with
>others who would truly be moved by it?
>
>I guess I don't know how to explain this enough to get across what I
>feel in my heart. I have tried and will have to depend on the gifts of
>your heart to fully understand what I am trying to say. Appreciate
>your gift and appreciate that others want to feel it in their heart and
>soul as much as you do, especially if they can't "create it" with their
>hands any longer when they still see and feel it in their heart.
>
>Enough said, now moving on.
>Hugs,
>Tina
Very eloquent. Says it all.
--
Sally at the Seaside~~~~~~~
http://community.webshots.com/user/sallyswin
.
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- The spiritual side of fabric arts/LONG
- From: Tina
- The spiritual side of fabric arts/LONG
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