“My grief lies all within; and these external manners of lament are merely

shadows to the unseen grief that swells with silence in the tortured soul.”

– William Shakespeare

Acceptance

November 2006

Acrylic on Canvas 16 x 20

This quote from Shakespeare about grief is one that resonates deeply in me. It communicates something for me that I could not articulate myself.  I tried to depict in this painting both the seen and the unseen wounding and grief in my being.

The effects of abuse on my body were visible and deeply troubling. They took years to heal, yet they were only a shadow of what the abuse did to my mind, my soul and my heart.

This painting came out of the place of profound acceptance in me. It came out of the acceptance that it was that bad, that I was very wounded, and that it would take every fiber of my being to recover.

I learned that by accepting what is, I could find the peace I need to carry on my work of recovery. Learning to understand my own grieving process, learning what worked and what didn’t work for me, and accepting every aspect of myself became enormously freeing for me.

The dawn began to rise in this acceptance of what was, what is, and what may be.