The Artist Within

Sue and I celebrated our 25th anniversary in Seattle.  We saw the struggling Philadelphia Eagles lose to the struggling Seattle Seahawks, and we went to Pike Place, one of the oldest continually operated public farmers' markets in the United States.  It is filled with crafts and artisans.

As I looked at the wares, I had my usual internal struggle, wanting to see the beauty of the craftsmanship but struggling with this feeling I imagined that the artists/entrepreneurs wanted me to buy.  Then I began to notice the people themselves.  Not the shoppers so much, but the people behind the tables.  And they were beautiful!

Nearly to a person, each one framed their face in a unique combination of hat and dress, and each face reflected character.  Beauty.  Art.

Then God said, "Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. 

And let them have dominion over the fish of the sea 

and over the birds of the heavens and over the livestock 

and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth."

So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him;

male and female he created them.

-- Genesis 1:26, 27

These two verses from Genesis speak both to the inherent beauty and worth each one of us has, and to the impulse within to shape beauty -- the image of God within.

I wanted to take their pictures.  But how?  Do I ask?  Do I try to sneak a shot for a candid look?  I tried sneaking a couple, but it just didn’t work.  I began to ask permission. And as I explained that I had seen the art each person represents and simply wanted to record his or her beauty, we connected!

You're unique, beautiful, and creative too.  So's the person in front of you.  See the art within.  Express the artist within.  Here they are.