Call me philosophical, but it seems to me that in this life, it is the big things that happen that remind us that, in essence, it is the little things that matter. It is the unplanned moments, the connections, the truths unspoken, the grace in a single space of time that make a life.
Believe what you want, but I am convinced that at the core of it all, the only thing that really matters is love.
Some people consider the colour red as a symbol of love, but for me, love is orange.
It is bright, bold, confident and courageous. I’m not just talking any shade of orange either. My orange is Benjamin Moore paint chip 2017-30: Tangelo orange.
This is the colour of one wall in my sacred space, my tiny office in my otherwise chaotic home. It is the place where I get to be an artist in my own right (or write, as it were).
That is the little thing that I refer to, something as simple as a paint colour. It may seem minor, but the significance of my orange wall is the reminder that my life, however short, had better be colourful. It comes at the cost of a big life lesson, the loss of a friend I respected. I did not say goodbye.
Marilyn, a talented artist, passed away peacefully this weekend, surrounded by her loved ones and her art. In celebration of her life, I am painting my perspective on love, life and all things of genuine importance in a spectacular orange hue, because in death, Marilyn has reminded me that to live well, one must make art of their life.
Marilyn was an artist, a mother, daughter, her husband’s best friend, an aunt and a sister. She was a friend to many. She was a rebel with a cause, a staunch defender of art in public places, a brave heart pushing whatever boundaries came her way, including the illness that did not define her. Marilyn was the best party hostess to rock a Legion hall as a self-proclaimed Village Idiot (of Village Idiot Productions), who could raise the roof and raise donations with concerts for whatever cause she championed. Marilyn encouraged our little community to think outside the box and do it with a full colour spectrum.
I asked Marilyn to help me pick a shade for my home office space. I wanted a colour to inspire my creativity. My only request was that the colour be a shade of orange. Marilyn came in, sat on my chair and flipped through her colour palette with serious concentration. She looked around at my humble surroundings, with books, photos and my children’s artwork. We talked about motherhood, about raising strong daughters, the courage to go against the grain in our careers, in our identities. This was the most profound discussion I’ve ever had inside those four walls. She understood why this little room mattered to me. That was enough.
Marilyn picked 2017-30 Tangelo orange, a positive expression of vibrant energy; a metaphor for my own writing potential.
True light shines even in the darkest hours, and in my memory, Marilyn will remain a beautiful orange glow. She showed me that art isn’t what you do, it is who you are, your authentic expression of self every day. Love is your colour wheel. That is enough.
Shine on, M.