The Ornamented Being
Ornamented: -verb: Adorn; beautify. Be·ing: -noun: Fulfillment of possibilities; essential completeness.
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“The Beautiful Blindness of Devotion sees a painted girl with eyes closed in prayer while The Briar Rose is a human rambling rose appearing to grow from the stonework.”
Kirsty Mitchell(Source: Daily Mail)
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This was taken in the Cast Gallery and I don’t recall where it is from because for some odd reason I was struggling to not cry.
I’m no stranger to crying over museums. The first time I saw Sunflowers at the Nat Gallery I was moved to tears. Without ever knowing she was at Hampton Court I came face to face with an Artemisia Gentileschi painting and spent a good five minutes standing in an empty room crying my eyes out because it was just so beautiful. I cried at Anne’s grave in Saint Peter ad Vincula when I put flowers on there on May 19th and I shed many tears when I put roses on Marie Antoinette’s grave in Saint Dennis.
But I’ve always cried because I’ve had a connection with that piece or that person. This was the first time I have ever stood in a gallery and felt like falling to pieces for no reason. There is something about their faces that just held me. Like invisible hands reached out and forced me to stand in place. The exquisite sorrow captured in the mans face and the lines of grief etched onto Mary’s face were just so realistic. The way Mary puts her hand to her breast as if to say I thought my heart was dead but I still feel pain. How is this possible?
It was as if centuries of pain were suddenly screaming to life and I felt so small standing there. It just took by surprise. Even now just looking at my photos I feel like crying.
I really hate seeing people in such torment, I just want to help them but how do you comfort a statue? I’m not sure but the pain just feels so real and I feel so helpless.
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Oh goodness. This doesn’t go with my theme but I had to share this story because it’s so touching.
“Our 14 year old dog, Abbey, died last month. The day after she died, my 4 year old daughter Meredith was crying and talking about how much she missed Abbey. She asked if we could write a letter to God so that when Abbey got to heaven, God would recognize her. I told her that I thought we could so she dictated these words:
“Dear God, Will you please take care of my dog? She died yesterday and is with you in heaven. I miss her very much. I am happy that you let me have her as my dog even though she got sick. I hope you will play with her. She likes to play with balls and to swim. I am sending a picture of her so when you see her You will know that she is my dog. I really miss her. Love, Meredith”
We put the letter in an envelope with a picture of Abbey and Meredith and addressed it to God/Heaven. We put our return address on it. Then Meredith pasted several stamps on the front of the envelope because she said it would take lots of stamps to get the letter all the way to heaven. That afternoon she dropped it into the letter box at the post office. A few days later, she asked if God had gotten the letter yet. I told her that I thought He had.
Yesterday, there was a package wrapped in gold paper on our front porch addressed, ‘To Meredith’ in an unfamiliar hand. Meredith opened it. Inside was a book by Mr. Rogers called, ‘When a Pet Dies.’ Taped to the inside front cover was the letter we had written to God in its opened envelope. On the opposite page was the picture of Abbey & Meredith and this note:
“Dear Meredith, Abbey arrived safely in heaven. Having the picture was a big help. I recognized Abbey right away. Abbey isn’t sick anymore. Her spirit is here with me just like it stays in your heart. Abbey loved being your dog. Since we don’t need our bodies in heaven, I don’t have any pockets to keep your picture in, so I am sending it back to you in this little book for you to keep and have something to remember Abbey by. Thank you for the beautiful letter and thank your mother for helping you write it and sending it to me. What a wonderful mother you have. I picked her especially for you. I send my blessings every day and remember that I love you very much. By the way, I’m easy to find, I am wherever there is love. Love, God…”
It’s silly but I sat here and I cried. I’m just so thankful that there are such beautiful and kind people in this world. Words can’t really express how I feel only that I needed to share this with you all. I feel honoured to be able to share this Earth with you all, especially the person who wrote Meredith back.
Much love to you all tonight and always.
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God and My Right.
I had a very interesting conversation with the Father about the translation. He was impressed that I translated it from French. My meaning was different due to the fact I placed the My in the wrong area but we talked about it. Then came the Latin translations and I got a little bit right because some of the words are the ones on my family coat of arms.
