Jesus answered, “Why are you asking Me about what is [essentially] good? There is only One who is [essentially] good; …”
— Matthew 19:17a AMP
When things don’t go as planned, we often feel discouraged. We may beat ourselves up, or worse, blame others for our “misfortune.”
Yet, there’s a better way to think about hard things and setbacks that can lead us to feel relief and peace instead.
I learned it years ago when, as a young naval officer, I was assigned to the gorgeous islands called Bermuda.
How gorgeous is Bermuda?
Very.
The place is a long and lush garden in the Atlantic, connected by bridges.
Flowering plants of every type and color blanket its landscape from St. George’s Parish in the north to Sandy’s Parish in the south – pink Egyptian star clusters, magenta oleander, golden trumpets, royal poincianas in bright crimson, white Natal plums and African iris, and more.
Because Bermuda is so small that you’re never more than a few minutes from the sea, you can usually gaze at its waves from atop one of the island’s graceful hills or hear its tide going in and out.
Nearly every day, while traveling to or from work on my moped, the thought occurred to me, “People pay big money to come here for just a few days, and I get to live here!”
Yet, gorgeous as Bermuda appeared, it was no paradise.
Indeed, life could get quite buggy there.
That fact became clear the day after I moved into my new apartment, the upper level of a pastel-colored house near Southampton Beach.
While putting things away, I caught sight of the biggest cockroach I’d seen in life crawling up a wall.
And to make matters worse, when I grabbed a magazine and tried to swat it – it flew away.
What?!? There are cockroaches that fly😳?
Eventually, I dealt with that unexpected visitor, and later still, came to accept two things:
- Occasional encounters with flying cockroaches are a normal part of life in Bermuda, and
- There is no perfect place outside of Heaven (and that’s okay.)
We find consolation and strength when we remember that true perfection belongs to God alone and decide to focus on His goodness and favor in whatever situation we face.
So if you ever find yourself on some lush tropical island terrorized by a giant flying cockroach, do what I did:
Grab a shoe, and as soon as it lands somewhere, smash that thing with all the strength God gives you.
Then, add a parasol and a paperback to your day bag, and head for the beach.
Choose to let the beautiful imperfections of this life remind you that the best is yet to come.
ARTISTS CORNER
🎨CREATIVE EXPRESSION WITH PURPOSE
Bermuda has inspired many professional creatives who have sojourned there over the years.
Most notable among them are American painters Winslow Homer and Georgia O’Keeffe, as well as writer Mark Twain.
Taking a break from the harsh winters of Maine from 1889 to 1900, Homer fled to Bermuda and ended up producing a series of watercolorsinspired by the island’s landscapes and architecture.
These include Flower Garden and Bungalow, Bermuda (1889), pictured above, and North Road, Bermuda (1900):
Georgia O’Keeffe, after a series of mental breakdowns in the early 1930s, traveled to Bermuda in 1934 to recuperate.
What was the result of her stay on those peaceful islands?
A period of renewed creativity when she returned to her northern New Mexico studio, and this ink and pencil sketch of Bermuda’s flora, among others.
Mark Twain based his light-hearted and humorous travelogue, “Some Rambling Notes of an Idle Excursion,” on his adventures during an 1877 cruise to the islands.
Like many others, including myself, he enjoyed Bermuda’s beauty and leisurely pace.
The relaxed humor and quiet reflection he experienced there also influenced some of his later work.
GET STILL AND JOURNAL: What does your favorite place for reflection and creating (writing🖊️, painting, sculpting, composing🎵, whatever) look like? If you don’t have one, what would it look like?
QUOTES FOR CREATIVES FROM CREATIVES
🖼️CREATIVE EXPRESSION WITH PURPOSE
Contemporary Bermudian artists share a passion for connecting with others and showcasing everyday Bermudian life in their work. About this, they’ve said:
You honour the perspective of others. Good art is the illustration of an idea, great art is the transmission, the sharing of an experience. The only way you can share your point of view is to express it in the language of the person you’re trying to reach.
—Contemporary Visual Artist Michael Walsh
“I wanted to elevate things that didn’t feel touristy. I didn’t want to paint pictures of people sunning themselves on the beach. I wanted to show what you see if you live here and elevate those ordinary moments with colour and composition to make them feel important.”
—Painter and Mixed-Media Artist Phoebe Hughes
“I am an artist with a social agenda. I am committed to lifting the human spirit through my art.”
—Painter Sharon Wilson
Why, you may be wondering about now, have I gone on and on about Bermuda?
Glad you asked😉.
It happens that the people of Bermuda will be celebrating their national day—Bermuda Day—this week.
And while we can’t necessarily be there watching the parades and stuffing our faces with salty fries and BIG fish sandwiches from Hamilton food trucks, we most certainly can celebrate the island and its art scene from afar.
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