This rather striking image is taken from a painting called 'Can Spring Be Far Behind?' It was painted by John Armstrong. He was appointed an official war artist in the Second Word War and was asked to record 'various aspects of the war'. Can Spring Be Far Behind offers an image of hope in dark times with a single tulip blooming out of a bomb site. I was reminded of this recently when I came across a bookmark which has this image. It is very much an image for the dark times we seem to be living in at present.
I look around me at the moment and I see many tired and anxious people. And yet, one of the most amazing things about us as people is our capacity for hope, often in the most trying times of our lives. Sometimes we cannot change the events happening around us and we have to find the resources within us and those around us in order to survive.
I have been in some dire circumstances myself which have been due to things beyond my control but the support of others and above all a sense of humor and compassion and empathy for others have always helped me and others to 'sit' with the things we cannot change. Occasionally we have no choice but we can choose how we let events affect us.
And there is always room for hope. Nothing in life lasts forever and that includes the bad times. This painting encourages us to hope. Take courage for Spring is not far behind.
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