It's so weird how every day something new gets taken away from us. I find myself missing all the things I used to do to bring peace into my life. I can't go to the Art Museum anymore. I can't go to the Zoo. It's weird how much those little things meant to me and I didn't even realize it.
The one thing I can still do is go outside. I have been taking long walks in Forest Park, the big park by my house. It's amazing to me how I live in a big city but I can walk for a few blocks and suddenly I'm in nature. The air smells different. I can listen to the birds sing. I can look at the trees and the big sky above. The world is still here.
Life is going on. And that gives me a lot of peace.
One of my favorite spots in St. Louis is Art Hill which is in Forest Park. It's where the Art Museum stands. Lately, I have been walking around to the back of the museum and staring at it. I realized that although it is true that I can't go inside and look at the Monet's and Renoir's, I can still look at the building from the outside. The building itself is an amazing piece of art. I always forget to enjoy that part because I am in such a rush to get inside.
But now I am being forced to enjoy the things on the outside of buildings. And there is a lot to enjoy. I don't have to go inside the art museum to see art. I don't have to go inside the zoo to see animals. It's all still here, it just looks a little different than it used to.
The back of the art museum is kind of hidden. You have to really go out of your way to see it. But it's really beautiful and it has this quote inscribed on the top of the building that has really been encouraging me lately. It says "Art still has truth. Take refuge there."
I just wanted to share this with you and remind you that life is going on. And as everything around us closes, the outdoors are still open. Nature is still there. The birds are still singing.
And art is still all around us. It still has truth so take refuge there.
We are going to be ok.