Creation

Adam and Eve: I've carried around this large painting since I was an assistant professor at Vanderbilt. I believe I've exhibited it three times and each time I couldn't resist tweaking it with a paint brush. I know that Genesis reports that God looked on His creation and said "That's good" and then rested. His creatures aren't like that, are they? We keep having to go back and tinker. Perfection will always escape us but that knowledge doesn't stop us from going back, does it? I'm one of those that doesn't seem to "leave well enough alone" believing that "the good is often the enemy of the best." I so enjoy laying paint to canvas. I need to make more time to do what I love. Don't we all?

I give thanks for the holidays. My son is at home and we use the time together to dive into the shop and build things. There is great truth to Robert Bly's observation that sons and fathers benefit by working along side one another. There's learning and communion. I find it restorative and our time together has become a necessary component in my creative life. It won't be long now until he fully fledges the nest so I have to take advantage of every moment available to me.