MY THOUGHTS ON LOVE

Love and mother are almost synonymous to me. Everyone who is alive has a mother. (In most cases) She thought you were important enough to be born!
Research says that without love a baby withers away and eventually dies. That is how important love is. It may not have been your mother, but someone cared and took care of you, so you might live.
With that, I am qualifying, and say that most of us, including myself, love very imperfectly.



Paul, a scholar in Greek and Hebrew viewed that of all things, these three remain, "faith hope and love." In Greek there are three words for love. Here, Paul meant, the kind of love that sticks to you,closer than a brother.
One of the other words for love is "eros", which is sensual, physical attraction and although the media bombards us with it, is seriously overrated.

The second word of love is "fileo", where our word "friend" comes from. In the USA there is a wide range of friends; from an acquaintance to a lifelong close connection.
Paul who wrote a whole chapter on love, also says that I may speak with the tongues of men or angels, but if I have no love, I would sound like a resounding gong, or clanging cymbal. Ouch, I heard that, LOL.


If you would ask, what color is love? I think it would depend on what the situation asks for. If it is a declaration, I would say the color of love is a passionate flaming red. But then, it would be a tender periwinkle (a light blue-gray) if someone needs a gentle little push in the right direction. Or, to someone who would be depressed, I would say, the color of love is a bright sunny blue sky, and would take him or her there, or send a pic of a stunning blue Californian sky.


In February this year I finally finished this painting, because I wanted to post it for Valentine's Day. Since I was not close to a computer that weekend, and Blogger did not automatically post it, as is promised to do on the posted day, you didn't see this until now.


Oil, 24 x 30 St. Germain


My inspiration for this rose came from one of the roses of my yard, which had almost the form of a trapezium, and exaggerated this form in this rose.
For a year I could not find a fitting background. I did not want to make this an erotic or romantic painting.
When I read about Paul's idea about love, my heart leaped. That was the kind of love I wanted to express with this rose. The love that is enduring and able to weather all storms, I embedded the words in a cloud-like background.

With this rose I like to honor someone who has been a mother to me for many years in my adulthood. I got to know her because our back yards were across from each other. She did not have children of her own, but she was a mother to many. Even though she and her hubby were traveling most of the time, she always made time for me. She had a keen sensitivity for what people needed. She taught me to have faith that everything would turn out all right, and she is the reason that I have a positive outlook on life. Thank you for your great gift of motherhood, Mama Barnes.