As a painter, I understand how contrast brings a painting to life when dark shades of color enhance their lighter counterparts called tints. The same is true in nature.
So it is with life. Destiny has a dark side, and we never know when that dark side will appear in our life’s painting.
Non of us were prepared for what befell the earth. One day we were bouncing babies on our knees, rushing off to work, or traveling the globe only to find ourselves housebound; or worse, watching thousands risk their lives to save ours. Daily the faces flash on our television screens as we weep over the tragic loss of lives.
I often wonder when we’ll awaken from this dystopian-like nightmare that morphed into life. An abnormal state non of us could have ever imagined let alone thought we would have to live through.
Yet among the shadows of overwhelmed hospitals and Facebook friends beseeching prayers for loved ones infected with Covid-19, God paints tints of hope: neighbors helping neighbors; doctors, nurses, and first responders saving lives; people sewing masks for others…
children leaving messages of hope through chalk art on sidewalks and driveways…
nature reminding us of all that is pure and good and lovely. In my garden a hummingbird sits on her nest.
I peek at her and once was able to snap a quick photo when she was away.
An Egret graces our backyard with elegance.
Like so many others, I drink in the laughter of grandchildren through computer screen. I longingly study my mother and father’s faces while FaceTiming, praying we will see each other again.
Yes, there is a dark side to destiny. The future is uncertain but the highlights of loving gestures, precious family and friends, and faith in God will live on!
Recently, I discovered an old post I wrote back in 2010, The Difficult Side of Destiny.
As I reread the post, I marveled over how the grace of God has helped me to overcome so many dark days I’ve passed through over my lifetime. The words resonated with what I’m writing about today. Here are some excerpts:
There is a difficult side of destiny. This is the shadowy place untouched by the sunshine of happy thoughts and positive results. This is where the moss of life adheres and extracts every ounce of mental, emotional, physical, and spiritual strength.
I prefer the other side of destiny that faces right into the sunshine. Light streams through forests of despair lighting butterflies in flight as if performers on stage.
I do not like the difficult side of destiny, never have and never will. On the dark side of destiny, we weep over our children living out harmful consequences of self-destructive choices. We watch those we love fight off illnesses. We help our aging parents cloth themselves after surgeries and grieve as precious souls pass from this earth to the next realm.
On this darkened side of destiny, marriages crumble, forcing us to become retrained in ways of the heart as well as in career.
We grieve in shadows of shame and resist uncovering our face when alarm clock blares.
I wish I could always live on the sunny side of destiny. But alias, I live in a fallen world where shadowy places exist. Yet the good part is that so many people I love and cherish must also, at times, live in these darkened places. Together we provide a support network that makes precious friends as close as family members.
When we look at an enchanting forest, we marvel as much over the darkened places as we do over those alight with streaming sunlight. In fact, the shadows provide contrast making the lighted places appear even brighter. Our eyes delight in the overall picture of beauty and we somehow gain strength to embrace the dark side of destiny once again.
JoDee Luna Art 