These are from a piece I made earlier this year. I have always been almost magnetically drawn to madonna images. This seems a good time of year to look at this piece. Across cultures and religions the holy mother has been worshipped and honored, her importance recognized and valued. At Christmas, we are, of course, remembering the Christian story of the birth of the Christ. The mother and child bond here was deep and strong. I am surrounded this time of year by these images and meanings. It makes me think about what children are learning about themselves and the world in their first years.
After I had children this moved from concept to truth. The love from mothers before me, and the love I was passing on, was holy and sacred. As the ones who carry children, give birth to them, and are the (mostly) primary caregivers, we have the power to change the world. Do we teach and live our values? Do we love our children unconditionally? And yet establish conditions we must all live with in order for justice and peace to exist? I read once that the most important question we are asked after death is, "Did you love?" Let Christmas remind us yearly what we must ask ourselves daily.
