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I struggle with loudness. Even if a sound is “good,” such as a favorite song, if it is too loud it causes me physical pain. However, I am surrounded by sounds! Today I am mindful of the softer, subtler resonances in my environment. The gentle hum of our AC reminds me that I am very grateful for modern technology on a hot summer day. In our garden when I hear the chirp of a hummingbird accompanied by the thrumming of its wings, my heart fills with delight. Alas, our culture is endlessly loud today. Angry voices abound, creating a cacophonous clamor that dulls and pulls down my soul. Ecclesiastes, a book of ancient Hebrew poetry and wisdom states, “The quiet words of the wise are more to be heeded.” As I worked on this painting, I envisioned this soft-spoken wisdom to be like petals and leaves in a garden. The sun catches the colors of each petal and leaf as they blow in the breeze. When they gently fall to the soil, they add to its richness and prepare it to receive the miracle of the seed. My prayer is that we would open our ears to this calming speech and receive the insight and understanding we desperately need.

Quiet Words of Wisdom, 18″x18″ oil on canvas, is available for purchase in my shop, under “Oil Paintings.”