The Art of Living

"Every child is an artist. The problem is how to remain an artist once grown up."
---Pablo Picasso---

It's funny how points made through art can so often be applied to other aspects of life. Christ asks us to have faith like that of a child, but so many people overlook the true meaning of that. At birth and during childhood, we are innocent, our lives untouched canvases awaiting the bright colors of experience. Our minds are filled with beautiful goals, hopes, ideals, and inspirations. However, as we progress into adulthood, our brushes hit the canvas suddenly, throwing us into worlds unknown in previous pieces. We are thrown into the painful realism that not all of us are called to paint like Michlangelo. We must cope with the fact that we are all given different variations and degrees of 'artistic ability,' and we must use what we have for the glory of His name. Like children, we must be content in the tools handed to us and make a masterpiece out of what we have. As we approach a new beginning of maturity, the immature inspiration changes into a renewed nature. We allow others to critique our work, though in the end we aren't painting for them, we're painting for God. We stand idle as they determine (through mortal distinction) our level of perfection and our value to the world... But let us not be as the professional who's only creating art for personal profit. Let us paint our lives with the hues of Christ, let our colors blend into the heavens, and may our art always be for Him. For it is diving into art that brings us love, and diving into love that brings us Christ.