The Gift of Distance

George loved doing woodworking in his shop. He had been in an assisted living facility for the past couple of years. Tuesday, when I attended his funeral, George’s sister, Betty, had brought some of the last items from his shop. She was offering friends to take something as a loving remembrance. I was delighted to select the last of his simple plaques, crafted brilliantly using the contrast of light and dark to create a very significant an optical illusion.

I had one of these years ago, but when someone in a challenging time of life greatly admired it, I gifted that person the plaque. Now that George is in spirit, having this one has even more significance in my heart.

When you get some distance from the plaque, and you let your eyes relax, by paying attention to the light rather than looking at the dark, you can see the deeper message George created by gluing simple light wood strips on the dark wood background:

What a powerful metaphor for all of life. We can get so tied up in our problems, we can miss the gifts hidden in plain view. A little distance, relaxation, and focus on the light brings resurrection!