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Beauty in Frailty
The words and images in this project pertain to beauty - a particularly exquisite beautify - beauty in frailty.
I have always held affection for the word frail- associating it with synonyms such as fragile and delicate - words often used to describe some of the most valuable, the most precious, the most astoundingly beautiful and poignant natural phenomena and human creations. Vulnerability speaks to my soul. Quavering tones in music mark many of my favourite pieces. Veiled and implied lines and figures in visual art are magic to me. In nature I love gnarled trees, frail grasses and leaves turned to lace. I stand in awe of the weather beaten and am mesmerized by the maturation to perfection of autumn-time...and yes, I find the frail form and and scuplted face of the old people not only intriguing, but physically beautiful.
I recognize this as a special gift as I witness the fear and denigration of frailty prevalent in our society - as if the weak are less valuable than the strong, the end less spectacular than the beginning, autumn's painted leaf less splendid than spring's fresh green.
...And if you are inclined to think I am referring only to the elderly or the physically weak when I talk of frailty, I am not. Speak to someone who has lost a loved one and they will tell you about brokenness - emotional frailty. Speak to someone who has been hit by the hammer of mental illness and they will tell you about psychological frailty. Walk the halls of dementia and you will witness the frailty of memory and cognition. To be alive is to be no more than a breath away from frailty - and our ability to relate personally allows us to walk alongside our frail companions with compassionate knowing.
We MUST learn to see beauty in frailty. We must learn to honour life's entire course. On a daily basis we are wounded, and wound others. by our inability to appreciate this tender beauty. Nature will show us the way. Please take the time to ponder the intricate beauty in these images and let their spirit resonate with your soul. Play with metaphor. Remember - there are other ways of "seeing". ...from the heart of a frail beauty tracker.
I have always held affection for the word frail- associating it with synonyms such as fragile and delicate - words often used to describe some of the most valuable, the most precious, the most astoundingly beautiful and poignant natural phenomena and human creations. Vulnerability speaks to my soul. Quavering tones in music mark many of my favourite pieces. Veiled and implied lines and figures in visual art are magic to me. In nature I love gnarled trees, frail grasses and leaves turned to lace. I stand in awe of the weather beaten and am mesmerized by the maturation to perfection of autumn-time...and yes, I find the frail form and and scuplted face of the old people not only intriguing, but physically beautiful.
I recognize this as a special gift as I witness the fear and denigration of frailty prevalent in our society - as if the weak are less valuable than the strong, the end less spectacular than the beginning, autumn's painted leaf less splendid than spring's fresh green.
...And if you are inclined to think I am referring only to the elderly or the physically weak when I talk of frailty, I am not. Speak to someone who has lost a loved one and they will tell you about brokenness - emotional frailty. Speak to someone who has been hit by the hammer of mental illness and they will tell you about psychological frailty. Walk the halls of dementia and you will witness the frailty of memory and cognition. To be alive is to be no more than a breath away from frailty - and our ability to relate personally allows us to walk alongside our frail companions with compassionate knowing.
We MUST learn to see beauty in frailty. We must learn to honour life's entire course. On a daily basis we are wounded, and wound others. by our inability to appreciate this tender beauty. Nature will show us the way. Please take the time to ponder the intricate beauty in these images and let their spirit resonate with your soul. Play with metaphor. Remember - there are other ways of "seeing". ...from the heart of a frail beauty tracker.
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The above are available as greeting cards.
All except the last one are blank on the inside.
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