TexasGirl Photography

“You can cut all the flowers but you cannot keep Spring from coming.” ― Pablo Neruda

Today starts the season of Advent.  It means so much to me that I’ve decided to devote the next 4 weeks of my blog to it.  (If you are curious about Advent / would like to know more, take a look here.)

Growing up, I was fascinated by the beautiful celebrations that accompany this time of year:  the Jesse Tree, the wreath, the appearance of the Nativity scene (with the baby Jesus statue only appearing after midnight mass on Christmas Eve. I remember waiting for this, and going to look with my Grandma). As an adult, I treasure the deeper meaning and inner respite that Advent gives to a bunch of weeks that tend to be anything but peaceful.  I also treasure passing down the traditions – and the joy – to my own daughter. We spend so much time getting our house in order, the decorations in order, the presents and food and activities and schedules and annual little rituals (the movies!) in order – but more important than any of that is the time we spend getting our hearts, our lives in order.  It isn’t every day we get to throw a formal birthday party for the King of Kings.

Hope is where it begins.  Hope is where *everything* begins.

“Only in the darkness can you see the stars.” ― Martin Luther King Jr.

Given the chance, life will kick you in the teeth, throw you down.  Put its boot on your neck and rub your face in the dirt. It’s happened to me, more than once.  While I recoiled in shock and gasped for air, I saw before me clear as the light of dawn:  hope. I’ve learned, thanks again to life, that bad times don’t last forever. I know better, by now, than to get too bogged down by suffering, although it sure is tempting, and it sure isn’t always easy to keep your chin up.  

What I’m sharing here in this post is part of a small series of cyanotypes I made when I was working through some big bad stuff.  I titled it “A Difficult Year,” because it was, and truthfully the difficulties haven’t really ended, but thanks to a number of factors my burden is lighter.  

Life can tear you apart.  You can’t expect people, or the world, to treat your heart with care, or to care at all.  Given the chance, they’ll cut you to pieces.. . . . they’ll shoot you down. . . . . they’ll bust your spirit to nothing, if you let them.  That’s just human nature, sadly, some humans more than others.

But – “You must not lose faith in humanity. Humanity is like an ocean; if a few drops of the ocean are dirty, the ocean does not become dirty.” ― Mahatma Gandhi

Hope repairs.  Hope heals.  

“For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” — Jeremiah 29:11

Wherever you are right now, in your life, in your journey – whatever you believe, whatever you hold in your heart – I wish you the greatest Hope this week!

Cyanotypes are on watercolor paper. Photographs are with Ondu 6×6 and Kodak Tri-x