Pretty Please

It literally started with a dream. One night last week, I had such a vivid dream, that the next morning, before even thinking straight, I e-mailed a particular person and asked if they would pose for a portrait for me. The dream was clear and sure. In the dream, this person posed for a brilliant, life altering portrait. Considering that a few weeks ago my biggest art related dream had been about cleaning paintbrushes, I naturally thought this was a sign of some sort.

Lo and behold, this person agreed to pose! In my humble opinion, anyone who agrees to spend an hour or two sitting still while I paint them is a huge deal. It's a gift of time and intimacy that in our go go go American culture is mind blowing to receive. So, thank you un-named friend, for the tremendous sacrifice of bringing your 14 month old son here to nap so that again, quite literally, my dream could come true.

Only, the painting in real life didn't quite turn out like the brilliant, museum quality painting in my dream.

After un-named new friend left, daughter Hilary and I took a walk...in the rain. Hilary needed to go to the bank, and honestly, I needed to get out. It was so slippy in flip flops that it was easier to walk barefooted. Splashing through puddles, I half imagined that the Lord God Almighty himself was cleansing my soul (and dream) through a good, old fashioned Presbyterian baptism (which involves sprinkling for those who don't know.) Then, I stubbed my toe.

Yes, it hurts.

When I was a child, being barefooted was a way of life. Stubbing toes happened almost weekly. Rest assured, it's been years since this ole gal has stubbed a toe.

Not too long after the toe stubbing incident, while splashing through a puddle on the way home, Hilary asked me if I felt like a child. Thinking of all of my inconsequential-in-the-grand-scheme-of-things worries, with the real life painting in the forefront of my brain, I said, "No. I feel like an adult. Yes, what I'm doing might seem childish, but I still feel like adult."

This painting needs a baptism. It needs an innocent touch. It needs new life. It needs something. God, pretty please grant me the grace and wisdom to complete it to the praise of your glory. Amen.