A Little Squeeze of Blue

The title of this post comes from a comment Claude Monet made when speaking of how visual artists should view their world.

“…whenever you go out…think: here is a little squeeze of blue, here an oblong of pink, here a streak of yellow…”

I believe the statement could apply in multiple areas. It speaks to the value of being aware of our surroundings—conscious of and alert to the natural world’s color and beauty, even when life seems off kilter.

Of course, putting ourselves into this awareness mindset, noticing the bright streaks of golden yellow randomly piercing through clouds on dark days or seeing the tender, rosy pink blush on a soon-to-open rosebud (when the only reason you are among the flowers this morning is because you’re sitting in the hospital’s “Garden of Peace” with a seriously ill friend) or trying to appreciate the achingly, beautiful azure blue sky when you have the worst head cold of your life...well, it’s not easy, not at all.

When we make plans for the coming days, we assume everything will be sunny and bright, full of good health and love; when thinking of the ensuing years we may believe we are taking into consideration the toll aging will have on our bodies, and yet we have absolutely no idea. 

For the most part Homines sapientes wear their rose-colored glasses when looking to the future. Most of us move through our days as though in a haze, going through the motions, counting the hours and minutes until we come to whatever it is we’re planning on to make us happy … or happier.

In my part of the country, we're on the cusp of springtime. Mainly now, mainly because spring is my favorite season, I like to think I’m living in the moment; however, each time I marvel at the newly sprouting tomato seeds, every time I smile at the tender bright green growth on the Jasmine, as much as I’d like to think I’m relishing the “now,” the fact is, I’m looking forward: to red, ripe tomatoes (without blight), to the sweet smell of the Jasmine flower (with no aphids), to the next blooming and the next day when there’s sure to be “a squeeze of blue” sky replacing the gloom of mid-April. 

Color fuses with memories, expectations, 

associations and desires to make a world of 

resonance and meaning for each of us. 
~Oliver Sacks - An Anthropologist on Mars