Patrick Devonas (1965-)
Allegory of the Resurrection of Jesus Christ
Oil on canvas
There’s a certain resonance to the symbolism in these religious celebrations. Who doesn’t ever think of leaving their past behind and being reborn? I’ve had to resurrect myself more often than I can remember, and I always had to go through the darkness first.
These are some damned awful times we’re living through. We got… well, nothing. No security at all, really. Nothing we can count on but ourselves, our loved ones and our friends — and of course, they’re all in the same boat. But it’s easier to row when you’re not the only one rowing.
And the material things we had were always an illusion, anyway — something sold to us on the teevee. We really don’t need the vast majority of the cheap plastic shit with which we fill our homes; come on, who really needs a 56″ flatscreen teevee, anyway? (Or the credit card payment that goes with it.)
The more you can let go of, the stronger you’ll be.
I’ve said before how very lucky I feel, that I’m already used to having so little. I have so much less to worry about! I feel such sympathy for anyone who can’t roll with the changes that are being imposed on us. As a friend puts it, “Depression is the thing that results when you use the word ‘should.’ ” We get stuck in the idea that things “should” have been different, damn it!
But they’re not. They’re only what they are.
So shed your skin, your attitude and anything else that weighs you down. Lighten your load. We made it through another winter in one piece, through the darkness and into the light. Celebrate that.
Here’s hoping this Easter finds you with people you love, and that it’s a beautiful spring day that lifts your spirits. Live in this moment, it’s all we ever had.
