Swamp Ducks
Swamp Ducks was painted when I was in a really great frame of mind. They were an expression of freedom. It had been one week since I had been discharged from The Homewood and I was feeling on top of the world. My family was glad to have me home and I was glad to be here. My life was looking colourful again.
There is always togetherness in my birds, where one goes the other follows. This is symbolic of our connectedness to each other.
THERE IS NOWHERE WE CAN GO AND BE TOTALLY ALONE.
We may be in the company of another person or in the company of our God.
The song playing in the background is called Power of Dreams. Depression often robs us of our dreams. First it takes away our initiative to practice what brings beauty in our world. It attacks us in our hobbies, our families, our workplace, our spiritual communities - and as it takes each part of our life away - it begins to chip away at our dreams.
Dreaming is a way to stay connected to God. He revels in our accomplishments and cries with us in our sorrows.
If depression has robbed you of your dreams - I beg of you - get help. There is plenty out there. Call your church and see if there are counselling services offered. Check at work with your EAP rep. Call the United Way - they have a list of people and places who offer counselling for all kinds of problems. Remember to take God with you when you go to see a counsellor. All the good ones know that depression stems from spiritual sickness. If you live in Canada, an excellent source of help is the Canadian Mental Health Association. They offer help and support for everything from bereavement to recovery from trauma. They are a free service.
