Ecclesiastes 3 - 22x28 Oil on Canvas

Haven't we all cleaned out a shelf or a closet, wondering why we've kept things that now have no use? We seem to meet someone at just the right time, while we've drifted away from others. There are periods of life where the days (years!) can seem like lead--heavy and colorless--while other times seem as light as a song. Sometimes it's only in hindsight that we recognize what we've learned and how we've grown by struggling through difficulties, which helps us to better understand the struggles others face. And what joy does not ask some sacrifice? Life can seem chaotic, and only the clarity of time can help us to see an underlying order. My reflections on these contrasts--seasons of life--are the genesis of this painting, thoughts brought into focus for me by the words of Ecclesiastes 3: "To everything, there is a season . . . "