Long ago, when we first set up our COVID check in station, I started making a card each day with the date and a quick sketch. I thought people would need to know the date, and rather than answer the question multiple times, I'd make the card. Some days I sketch a scene, while other days it's more abstract. Some days, it's a scene with abstract elements or a scene, sketched abstractly:
There are days I wonder if I should still do this. After all, most people have a phone with a date. But people do look at it, and it does bring a spark of joy into my work day as I do it.
Last week, I didn't have much time to make Friday's sketch, so I created this:
My colleague and friend had been having a tough week with her dog who was in the last stages of life before dying on Friday. I had dogs on the brain, but truth be told, I was only trying to capture the essence of a dog, not her particular dog. Still, my friend told me that it meant a lot to her. Later, she made this picture her Facebook picture:
Since my first sketch meant so much to her, I decided to create a better sketch, based on the photo:
She wants to keep the date card. She had me sign it:
When I first started this date card with sketch practice, I didn't anticipate all the directions it would take me. To be honest, the me that I was in May, when I started, would be surprised that we're still doing this as January moves to February of 2021. Even though I didn't realize I was starting a daily practice, I'm glad that I have.
It's brought me joy, and I'm glad that it's brought joy to others. And I'm happy that it's brought solace. When I used to say that I had vague longings of being a hospice chaplain, I wasn't thinking of this approach. As I look at much of my life in the past few years, I often get the sense of God saying, "You want to be a hospice chaplain? I have work for you to do, sweetie."
No comments:
Post a Comment