DRAMA OF A DOVE
It is a beautiful piece of art. A gift to my husband and me from a dear
family member, it hangs in our huge front window, a tribute both to love of
family and the talent of a local artist.
A dove, the symbol of peace, carries a small olive branch, as in the
Bible story of Noah’s ark. The dove is
simply yet intricately designed, in subtle shades of brown and grey, wings held
high. It appears to be flying right out of the picture, as the leaves on the
twig in its mouth are carried into the border.
The whole piece is made of a square of bevelled glass, surrounded by a
border of sky blue. The artist’s mark is
on the back.
As I was looking at the dove pendant this morning, I
thought it looked disappointingly dull, drab in fact. Where was the beauty? Where was the shine? The brown colours melded into the dullness of
the weather to make the work look static and lifeless.
Putting the dove out of my mind, I went about my daily
tasks. I did not sit down in the living
room again until late afternoon. As I
was drinking my tea, something bright caught the corner of my eye. The sun had come out and was pouring its
light through the glass dove pendant.
Sparkles began to appear: first above, like twinkling
stars, then below, like shimmering ocean waves, seeming to undergird
the body of the dove.
First the wings were lit up, then the tail. Soon the whole scene was blindingly bright,
the dove’s face hidden behind a dazzling array of stars: blue, gold, white and
pale green.
Meanwhile, the backdrop had changed with the
weather. The wind had picked up, causing
furious movement of the leaves of my crabapple tree behind the glass. Instead of static dullness, there was a
dramatic display of movement and light, as well as the glittering dove.
Ah, what God’s light can do for a simple dove.
It reminds me that when God touches me, I am
transformed.
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