Simply
Soulful
“Where
the spirit does not work with the hands, there is no art.”
“Simplicity
is the ultimate sophistication.”
Leonardo
da Vinci
I've
just finished a wall quilt. It is an unusual one for me, simple and
unadulterated with threads and designs. Just a plain little thing
that I enjoyed doing. Always when I finish, I feel a slight trill of
panic, because I will have nothing to do with my hands until I come
up with another idea. Hand stitching is calming for me, the way that
knitting is for some people, and woodworking is for others. My
previous husband had an aunt who took her knitting to the theater
with her; she could sit in the dark, watch a movie, and never drop a
stitch. I'm not that good, nor am I that dedicated. But I do need
something to do with my hands.
Where
do you find your creative outlet? I'm a believer that soul is always
active in creativity, and that everyone has some creative ability
whether they know it or not. Where there is no creativity, there is
likely no soul, or, at the very least, all things expressive of soul
are suppressed. Some of us express our creativity in ways that have
nothing to do with “art” in the classic sense—in the way we
dress, in the way we arrange a room, or a vase of flowers. Some of
us, express soul in our use of language, in our thoughtful acts, in
our careful planning. It is soul's energy that activates the creative
juices.
Sunday,
I watched my friend, Cedric, arrange a table for our Gospel Night at
church. He conferred with others about what should go on it, then
carefully covered the table with a black drape and laid three objects
in the center. Simple. Soulful.
In
the Spirit,
Jane
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