The Soul of the Rose
A master copy after John William Waterhouse.
To notice beauty is to receive a gift. To truly see it is a form of gratitude.
There is something about The Soul of the Rose by John William Waterhouse that has always spoken to me. Perhaps it is the simple act of pausing — drawing near enough to a rose to breathe it in, to notice it, and to delight in the beauty God has placed before us.
I believe that when we slow down enough to notice God’s creations — the light falling across a room, flowers opening in the garden, a beautiful piece of music, a painting, a good book, the face of someone we love — we are doing more than simply enjoying beautiful things. We are receiving them with gratitude.
There is so much goodness surrounding us that can easily be missed.
To consider the lilies is to pause. To look more closely. To stand in wonder. To remember the Giver.
And I have found that the more I notice what God has created and the many ways He continues to bless my life, the more gratitude grows into awe.
Sometimes that wonder is so great that it brings me to my knees.
My hope for this little atelier is that it might be a place to practice that kind of seeing — to learn, create, seek beauty, give thanks, and find hope and healing in the goodness that is already all around us.
To notice beauty is to receive a gift. To truly see it is to give thanks.