I shared about losing my cousin to a brief but intense illness in this post: Grieving And Doodling To Cope. He died a day after he was admitted to the ICU and that was a week ago today. Yesterday morning our family took another blow when another relative passed away after suffering from a major heart attack. It was hard to believe because I saw he posted something on Facebook earlier that morning.
"All people are like grass,
and all their glory is like the flowers of the field;
the grass withers and the flowers fall,
but the word of the Lord endures forever..."~ 1 Peter 1: 24 NIV
It's hard to believe but such is the reality of life. People die. We are here today and probably we will be gone tomorrow. Or maybe it's not even tomorrow. It could be five minutes from now. It is very humbling, isn't it? That we can pass on from this world anytime. That we have no control whatsoever about the day and time we die. Well unless someone decided to take their own life...
We can't bring back those who have gone ahead of us. We can grief intense and hard but it will never bring them back.
I am not saying we shouldn't grief. Grief is a natural process of coming to terms with the harsh truth of losing someone. I have grieved for many loved ones - my dad, my best friend, school friends, grandparents, and relatives. They were never easy. They took a long time, months and years, and they never truly go away. They just changed shape. For me, there would be a lingering sense of sadness lurking somewhere in the back of my mind. A sense of loss and regret of not having that person in my life anymore.
The past one week has been hard for me personally. Mainly because I can't go back home to be with my family. Air tickets are just too expensive. To cope with my loss, I turn to art.
The paintings
These mini watercolor paintings were inspired by a "poem" written by a priest, Henry Scott-Holland (1847 - 1918). This so-called poem was delivered as part of Scott-Holland's sermon while the body of King Edward VII was lying in state at Westminster. However, whether he intended it to be a poem or not, this section of the sermon does have a lyrical quality to it which I found very beautiful and touching. It gives comfort to my grieving soul. I am quoting the "poem" in its entirety here and I am sure it will touch your heart too.
Death Is Nothing At All by Henry Scott-Holland
Death is nothing at all
I have only slipped away to the next room
I am I and you are you
Whatever we were to each other,
That, we still are.
Call me by my old familiar name
Speak to me in the easy way
which you always used.
Put no difference into your tone.
Wear no forced air of solemnity or sorrow.
Laugh as we always laughed
at the little jokes we enjoyed together.
Play, smile, think of me. Pray for me.
Let my name be ever the household word
that it always was.
Let it be spoken without effect
Without the trace of a shadow on it.
Life means all that it ever meant.
It is the same that it ever was.
There is absolute unbroken continuity.
Why should I be out of mind
because I am out of sight?
I am but waiting for you
For an interval
Somewhere. Very near.
Just around the corner.
All is well.
These mini paintings were painted on cold-pressed watercolor papers which I attached to my sketchbook. Here is a short video of my sketchbook.
Thank you for visiting! What do you think of these paintings? Leave your comments below.
My previous posts:
Five Pages From My Art Journal
Live In Peace And Let Go Of Your Bitterness
Announcing My Weekly Doodle Contest Week #1 | Flowers & Plants | SBD6 For The Winner!
My Sketchbook | Dancing Like The Spider & I Am Cool!
I am selling some of my paintings over on Artfinder. Shipping is FREE worldwide. You can check them out here: ARTFINDER.
My gifts & merchandise available at REDBUBBLE (international), Printcious & CreativeUnited (Malaysia).
Thank you!
