Weathered Family Sculpture Peels and CracksI guess this sculpture wasn’t made of material that withstands the extremes of the New England winter. I’m sad that the sculpture is beaten-up now; the artist who gave it to us thought it could do ok outside… However, the sculpture now is a good metaphor for the reality of family life – every family falls to death at some time; the perennial death of generations no one can escape, yet in the dying we are one. Also, the emotional dismemberment and death happening in families perennially offers an opportunity to look to and be strengthened by our common roots. In this sculpture’s case, the clay is broken-open and bears new life and meaning for my retreat work with families impacted by long-term illness and disability.
Moving forward with a listening heart,
vision, inquiry, and action,
~ Mary
