Wednesday, April 29, 2009

Love and Fear - a quick thought


I'm an artist. I usually clarify that by saying I'm a painter...mostly. The truth is, I have an avid interest in all forms of art creation to the extent that I believe everything we do can be an art.

When it comes to life, every day is a chance at the new, at adding something inspiring and exciting to our existence. The choice we have is will we add that thing or not? Will we even recognize it?

Or will we tune it out like so many other things?

I'll be honest, there are the rare times I let my emotions run high and there are still things that can give me insecurity. I don't turn away. I face it and try to acknowledge it. I can't change by trying to change, I can only allow the change to come over me as I continue to acknowledge and process. Sounds like a boring practice, I know, but now there are very few things left that can affect my positive and confident outlook. And those things are disappearing.

Pretty neat stuff, hey?

Like everyone else I've experienced loss.

Like everyone else I pick myself back up again.

But it sure can suck sometimes, can't it?

:)

I believe that the inner self is always there. Who we really are is there from the start. We just lose ourselves in the stuff of this world. In fear, insecurity, clothing, drama, selfishness, greed, lack, ingratitude, abuse, jealousy, rage, depression, and on and on. All these negatives are of course interrelated and of course stem from one basic and profound source: intense, never ending, screaming fear.

How do we overcome that?

That's what people have been grappling with for ages. That's what causes people to ask in despair: who am I?

Well, you are you, aren't you?

And who is that?

Never ending, infinite, flowing Love. You are a face of love and that means you realize there is nothing to fear. That fear is an illusion, it actually doesn't really exist except when we bring it into being through our thoughts of loss. But nothing is ever lost or destroyed, only changed.

And we ourselves are unchanging. We only refine and refine in the forge of gratitude and abundance. Our small earth has everything we'll ever need and it is not even a mote in this spinning universe.

Therefore as examples of love we fear no loss. Our light shines ever brighter and stronger the more we give. Money is not the root of all evil. That's like saying the Sun is the cause of all our problems because it can give us a burn. Money without love or wisdom is just another tool of lack and emptiness.

Money with understanding is a river that feeds multitudes.

When we expect the worst, when we expect something bad to happen, we are never surprised when it finally occurs. "I knew this would happen" we say.

And we were right.

But when we expect something good to happen, we are always surprised when it does. "I can't believe it actually happened!" we say.

Something to think about...

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

hey aaron. i think this is the human condition you speak of. eloquently though. i'm really glad we reconnected, as i have thought about you, your art, and your amazing progress, your family, and just how proud i am of you. an inspiration perhaps?

you seemed quite surprised by 'how much i have changed; a different person', but thats not true. i was out of focus and distracted by money... but then very let down by that facade. money is only good when it is used for good... like travel, generosity to those in need, the bills, and art supplies. oh yeah, and candy. lol.

let's collaborate. i am so premature and am easily intimidated, but you have a way. a good way.

tammy

Hailey said...

It seems more and more people are adopting this type of mindset, and it is good. Perhaps I am just focusing on the right people...

Fear is not to be feared. We must run towards fear, with conviction, as that is when the good things happen. When we face the unknown, when we see true beauty.

Keep spreading the word, Aaron.

Aaron Paquette said...

Hailey,

I wish I could say I adopted it but it was force fed to us by my mom our entire lives!

:)

You can't get away with much in a house like that!

"Keep spreading the word"....reminds of that terrible pickup line...

Tammy,

Absolutely! One day when things slow down a bit I'd love to work on a piece with you. Why not?

:)

I have to tell you though, making plans with me can tend to get a little slippery. There's always so much to get done that I lose track of deadlines, meetings etc unless people understand this and nudge me. A lot.

When you start your design courses let me know and we'll plan for then.

Hailey said...

Are you going to be at Kiyânâw again this year? I was wokring on the Capital EX website and saw you in one of the videos!

Joanne Arnott said...

my thanks for this beautiful image, aaron, & the good words to-- thank your mom for me!
:)

Unknown said...

stunning, soul-stirring work - thank you for sharing your talent
~karmyn