Tuesday, September 23, 2008

how long did that take you?

peace like a river



the top question i get asked when people see my mandalas is, "how long did that take you?" and the most common comment after that is..."you must have a lot of patience."

the question can be answered in one of two ways. in reality, it has taken me about 40 years! i try not to "go there" because most folks really don't want to know all that stuff...it's kind of like when we southerners ask, "how are you?" all we usually really want to hear is "fine! and you?"

so i generally just tell them what they want to know - depending on the size and medium, a mandala can take anywhere from a few days to a few months to create.

as for the comment, "you must have a lot of patience to do that." - it took me awhile to figure out what bothered me about hearing that. because i don't think i have more patience than anybody else, and patience isn't what i'm thinking about as i'm drawing or painting. what i'm usually thinking is...i love what i do!

the answer hit me one day in sunday school when someone was reading aloud the passage from I corinthians 13 (the love chapter). "love is patient..." love is patient! that was it! i love what i do...so of course i have patience.

this flash of insight has given me new eyes to see, not only what i do, in a different light, but also what others do. i realized how often i have said the same thing to others - "boy, you must have a lot of patience." now i know, no, they have a lot of love.

3 comments:

Beverly Keaton Smith said...

I love the connection you made here Stacy. Yes, you are right. It's easy to have patience when you are in the midst of something you love. I have never thought about that before.

Kate Jobe said...

I so get what you are saying...I can get lost in my art...working on it for hours on end and loving every minute of it...and you work is phenomenal....Kate

Cheryl Finley said...

Dont ya just love how Life always gives us the lesson we need to learn. It's indeed the Game of Life..one I'm thoroughly enjoying...and glad I can share this time on earth with you..

...I've got peace like a river..down in my soul ... thank you for this love-ly mandala. Yes, you have a lot of love.

...and i have a little coin on my computer keyboard with that very verse on it from Corinthians 3:24. I love it!
hugs..
Cheryl