Courage Unparalleled

December 13, 2007 · by Christine

Consent

There was the minute no one speaks of,
when she could still refuse.
A breath unbreathed,
Spirit,
suspended,
waiting.

She did not cry,”I cannot, I am not worthy,”
nor, “I have not the strength.”
She did not submit with gritted teeth,
raging,coerced.
Bravest of all humans,
consent illumined her.
The room filled with its light,
the lily glowed in it,
and the irridescent wings.
Consent,
courage unparreled,
opened her utterly.

-Denise Levertov

A friend who reads this blog sent me this poem a few days ago and I was grateful for these words.  I love the imagination of entering into this moment where breath catches and the choice is laid out before us– will we say yes and open our very beings to sacred encounter?  Or will we say no and turn back in on ourselves? Or perhaps worse, ignore the invitation altogether because we are too busy with more important things?

This journey of making art for Advent has been an illuminating one for me, as I take time to be with the images of people who are a part of my very lifeblood and discover how their stories are precisely my own story.  Sometimes this commitment of making art means just showing up and allowing whatever unfolds to happen, even if it doesn’t feel as done or revealing as some of the other art I have been making. Such is the case with the piece above, it is only a waystation to something else, but I decided that if I didn’t finish a piece one day, I would share the process here so you would know that there are times when I sit and wait as well. Showing up to the art materials is my way of saying “Yes.”

But I will share a little secret, I actually have finished another piece.  It is about my father who was a very wounded man and thus passed along many wounds to his little girl.  She found the courage over the years to heal many of them, but she is surprised to discover how some of them still throb deep below the surface. The piece I have made is definitely not a “pretty” one and I will share it here in a few days after I have had time to sit with it.  I was really inspired by lucy’s post this morning, a fairy-tale style retelling of a part of her story.  I think that is part of the invitation here for me, to tell this story in a way that I can begin to make more sense of and say a deeper yes to this important part of myself.  For this I need more courage than I think I have, but I have surprised myself many times before.

**Remember to scroll down or click here to read the latest submissions to the Poetry Party this week and to submit your own creative response before Friday to enter a chance to win a  copy of my newest zine Callings. There are now 21 *wonderful* responses so make sure to linger and breathe in the beauty.**

-Christine Valters Paintner @ Abbey of the Arts

(technical details: wooden 6×6″ panel coated with light molding paste, tissue paper glued on with gel medium, white pearlescent acrylic ink drizzled on, gold pigment powder sprinkled, then a little blend with my finger)

Posted in Poetry, Advent, Art and Spirituality |