In my home I have many figurines, sculptures, and paintings of swans. Their graceful serenity has always captivated me – watching them slowly glide around a lake while, beneath the water’s surface, their little feet are furiously propelling them along.
Most swan figurines and sculptures are in a position of stillness. Their wings are tucked protectively against their bodies, and their long necks are poised in that “half of a heart” position. Just their silhouette has an unmatched kinetic beauty of its own.
My favorite swan sculpture that I have is one that has her wings unfurled, every feather opened up at attention, ready to ascend out of the water and into the air with a regal elegance that signals to all that she has somewhere exciting to go.
I think I like this piece so much because, with all the apparent serenity of floating calmly around on the water, this swan is not satisfied to stay stuck in the same place, staring at the same view. Calmness and serenity are only appreciated when they’re a respite between excitement and activity. Marathon runners train for months and run for many hours, and when that finish line comes into view they are more than eager to enter into a time of relaxation (and food!) at the end. But soon enough they start training for the next one! They aspire to run; they don’t aspire to rest. They need to rest so they can continue their dreams, but resting is not their lifelong mission!
I’m laughing at this as I write, because I know that some people may read it and think, “She’s nuts; give me a hammock in the sun, and I’m set for life!” Sorry, but I don’t believe it. Resting from a frantic life? Yes. From severe stress? Absolutely. From serious events and emotional trauma? Of course. But to have no vision, no sense of purpose, no motivation — that will not sustain anyone, nor is it even healthy. We are all created to fulfill a purpose that is meant to make use of our talents, gifts, and the desires of our heart. If someone seeks only a passionless existence, perhaps that person has not been encouraged and made to feel significant. We all need that love and acknowledgement to have the motivation and the strength to create. Whether the people who surround us demonstrate that care or not, God is the ever-present embodiment of that love and affirmation; He created us and those gifts to be used in the first place.
As my beautiful swan sculpture prepares for flight, she is looking neither to the right nor the left for approval, and she’s not looking longingly down at what she’s leaving behind. She is just putting those beautiful wings to use for what they were created for, and she is about to burst into the sky.
We need to rest for a while and use the time to recuperate, recharge, and seek out our next vision and purpose. We can look for our next reason to unfurl our wings and take flight.
Dance on.
Grace Notes 