Lisa Thorpe

While There’s Hope There’s Life

It is winter here in Little Rock, snow, freezing rain and frosty nights have been the norm these past few months…as it should be really, it is winter after all. I’ve hung a bird feeder that I can see from kitchen window. The Cardinals, Chickadees, Sparrows, Jays, and Downy woodpeckers are a bright flash of life and color in my otherwise grey/brown backyard. “While there’s life there’s hope” said the Roman philosopher Cicero. The birds provide the hope in the wintering times. Fleeting reminders to take heart. The cycle of the seasons teaches us that the wintering introspective times are necessary for the bloom of spring to come. The contemplative cold of our lives, however painful, seems to be necessary for us to bloom, grow, and bear fruit. That doesn’t mean I like it. It doesn’t mean it’s not cold and lonely sometimes. It feels like it has been a year of wintering – like Persephone stuck in the underworld with Hades too long.

Along with the challenges of moving across country this past year, our young adult son has been on his own, far flung from us. It took us some months to realize he was sinking, not really adulting, not even managing really. Oh, what a stab to the heart of a mother this kind of revelation is. When they are wee babes, failure to thrive is the diagnosis, when they are adults, it is equally troubling and as a parent my control over the situation is nil. But this past week our son chose to come live with us. He recognized he was sinking and grasped the hands we extended to him and is raising his head out of the cold and shadows. While I know there is more work to do the relief, the thaw, is palatable. The sun is warm on the back even on a chill day. I have witnessed squirrels in the neighborhood building nests and the owls, I’ve read, are entering the flirting season. So, while all is grey and bare, the squirrels and owls seem to know something of hope. The light of the day grows by two minutes a day in my part of the world. The light is returning, as promised. The seeds planted are pushing against the darkness of the topsoil. There is life, there is hope. May it be so with you too, may the wintering time reveal new growth and new life in the coming seasons.

Pictured above and below are the banners and liturgical stoles I made from the burned bits of vestments lost in an arson fire back in August, at Trinity Episcopal Cathedral here in Little Rock. I volunteered my talents to create something new from the ashes. I am very proud of this project, and this is just another seed planted. Showing this new community, a bit of who I am and the gifts I have to offer.

I am planting more seeds in the form of spring classes I hope you’ll join me. Follow the links to learn more and sign up.

Wing & a Prayer Flags – February 26^th, 2022, 12-3pm Central

Birdbox Fabric Collage – March 26^th, 2022, 12-3:30 Central

Photo to Fabric – April 3^rd, 2022, 2-3:30 Central

Intro to Delightenment Workbook – April 30^th, 2022 2-3:30 Central

Follow me on Intagram @lisathorpeartist to see my 100 day challenge to build my Delightenment Workbook every day for 100 days.