On Saturday, I got a call from my son inviting me to go the art museum with him on Sunday. What a lovely call that was. But, it was going to be a full day which always gives me a tiny sense of dread. I really wanted to go and see the show; the very last day of the landscape exhibition and I really wanted to spend time with my son who is especially in need of good days and auspicious outcomes on those days. But I really didn’t want to go.
So despite my internal hesitation which was entirely unnecessary, I met him for a quick meal, then we made our way downtown to the museum. I wasn’t expecting a crowd. I thought surely everyone else in town had made it before the last three hours of the show. I was wrong! I’ve never seen so many people at the Portland Art Museum. It wasn’t exactly a throng however, and nothing to get panicked over.
After waiting 15 minutes or so in line, we headed straight up to the landscape show. It was nothing less than thrilling. The three Monet’s lined up front and center just about brought me to tears. They are stunning pieces. How Monet made the jump to painting them, is to me like going to the moon; no less amazing.
I loved seeing the paintings. I loved seeing them with my son. Getting there was the hard part. But the growth and the triumph in our days, our weeks, months, years is not in what comes easy or without hesitation, it’s in the stuff that is a little bit hard.
The things that are really hard, we seem to buck up for and endure or muddle through. The easy stuff is just, well easy. It’s those things that we hesitate about, procrastinate about that trip us up. We make excuses and justify not doing them. We let our inevitability be greater than those good things we know we ought to do. So, we lose out on what is great.
I’m really glad I went to the museum when I didn’t want to.
4 Responses
I went to the exhibit too and was amazed at the diversity. Also saw the SAM exhibit in Seattle (now gone) which was the impressionist exhibit on loan from National Gallery of Art. Huge exhibit and reminded me that seeing the true color and brush work goes way beyond looking at books. Glad it was a good day for the two of you. Hugs
You lucky lady. Such a wonderful feeling, to be invited on a date with your son. Mine seldom shows an interest in art shows, (its all science and extreme sports for him). What a delight to linger before brilliant works of the masters and share it with someone so special.
Bravo! Thank you for your thoughts, Marla.
So glad you took that important time with your son and enjoyed those painting too. Good points too.