We stood in front of the painting hanging in our friends’ den. Other art lovers milled around us, talking amongst themselves as they moved in and out of the room. On this Sunday afternoon before Thanksgiving, our friend Beverly had opened her home and studio for a party. It was a chance for friends and fans to view her latest work, to purchase anything we wanted to take home, and to spend time with her and her husband Tom.
The cold, gray weather outside did not dampen the mood inside. The sound of laughter and conversation by art lovers and creatives filled the air while the sight of art and color filled our eyes. Each room displayed abstract watercolor landscapes, vibrant oil paintings, and small mixed-media collages.
My husband turned to me. “What do you see?”
Studying the oil painting that had captured our attention, I said, “I see trees. The woods. And those brown areas sticking out behind the trees? Those are deer.”
He smiled, his blue eyes sparkling like they do whenever a piece of art catches his eye. “Yes. Me too.”
Although the painting was somewhat abstract, several shades of green in the background and foreground suggested shrubs, undergrowth, and trees. Long stripes of brown looked like tree trunks. Light and dark pink splotches became blossoms. And the curved shapes of brown that were mixed in among the trees and the green suggested two or three deer with white swirls for tails.
When Mart and I told Beverly how much we loved her painting because of the deer in it, she was surprised. She hadn’t seen them. She had simply painted what came to her, creating with her brush and oils an abstract landscape.
We were astonished, because the scene was so clear to us. But perhaps that’s because we had seen a very similar scene play itself out in real life through our den windows.
Through those windows, we have watched several dozen deer pass through the woods behind our fence. We have seen young males with antlers; two of them once fought it out with their antlers. We have also glimpsed rounded does with babies settle in the shadows amongst the brush under the trees.
One year, we even saw a pair of fresh-born twins with spotted fur, gangly limbs, and an unsteady gait. Over the next several weeks, we spied on them through the windows, sneaking peeks and trying to distract our dog so she wouldn’t bark at them. They would lie down in the tall grasses and be almost completely covered up. Soon, their spots disappeared, they grew up, and we saw them less often as they found other places in the neighborhood to sleep and eat.
These days, however, we see fewer deer, perhaps because several big dogs with big barks live on our street. In addition, deer eat flowers and plants, so much of the landscaping in our neighborhood is deer-resistant or it would disappear immediately. Our woods, however, still provides plenty of foliage and occasionally one or two deer will grab a meal on the way through.
That day at Beverly’s studio party, Mart and I found her painting not only beautiful but also meaningful to us, and perfect for our den, where it still hangs.
And now, as I write these words, I wonder: how many times in the dailiness of life do I miss seeing something of beauty? Not just physical things, such as in nature or art, but in the abstract.
For example, do I see the beauty in people around me? That special quality in a friend or family member that I appreciate? Like my mom’s deep love and generous heart for her family. My friend’s ability to make me laugh, even in painful times. Other friends whose gift of hospitality delights everyone who experiences it.
When I stop to think about those around me, the beauty in them stands out. Maybe I need to call attention to it, because after all, they may not see it. And maybe they will be encouraged to continue using that quality to bring beauty into the lives of others. Like they do to mine.
Is there someone in your life who could benefit from your calling out something good in them that you see? Take a few minutes to call, text, or write a note to let them know.
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Photo by Gede Wirahadi Pradnyana on Unsplash