Sometime in life we all experience hard times. Larry and I went to an ALS picnic where someone there told us an old parable. She said our struggles are like a rocky or rough body of water that we can navigate by swimming or on a boat. Our "boat" is our friends and families who help us get through the hard times. As we have had to deal with Larry's illness we have found this to be very true and have worked this theme into many of our mosaics including these mosaics we are calling, "Love Will See You Through.
I gathered the seashells while on the beach at Lover's Key in Florida. The larger shell is a broken, yet still beautiful, a symbol of so much in life.
The word love is worked into the waves. Larry and I have been blessed with family, friends, and even strangers who help us.
The most important thing for us to convey is that everyone in life faces challenges. ALS was a tough diagnosis to receive but instead of focusing on the negative, we focus on what Larry can do. At the beginning of 2014, Larry stopped working as an engineer and project manager. We make each day count. We enjoy each others company, spend our time exploring, and turn what we see into works of art.
We spent this past winter in Florida taking in the sunshine and warm weather. We enjoy exploring Florda together and have been very impressed with much that we have seen.
This version of "Love Will See You Through" incorporates Mangrove Trees into the picture. The trees are interesting to look at with roots that grow into the water. We've learned that these trees are very important for many reasons. They are a great place for animals and they provide a natural barrier during hurricanes. There are very steep fines for cutting or destroying the Mangroves.
The water in this picture symbolizes our troubles and if you look closely you will see Hebrew letters in the water which spell love.
I always wanted to go to Israel and in 2014, Larry and I were fortunate to be go there. While there, we went to the Israel Museum in Jerusalem where we saw a sculpture with Hebrew word for love. This image stayed with us which became the inspiration for placing the Hebrew words in the mosaic.
This a picture that shows LARRY AND ME IN LOVE!
https://www.songbirdartistry.com/madeline-sexton