Alexander Calder said, “I want to make things that are fun to look at, that have no propaganda value whatsoever.” Yes yes. Here here.

A reprieve from the weighty events of the world, the admonitions and exhortations to be better, try harder, do more. Just fun to look at! That’s enough! Alexander Calder thought so, anyway!

I surround myself with fun things to look at to brighten my day. I need all the help I can get!

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I love it when systems work—when people come together as a community, with all their diversity, each offering their unique contributions to something greater than themselves. It’s organic and dynamic, sometimes messy and imperfect, constantly flexing to adapt to personalities, circumstances, and opportunities.

And then come the crisis moments—times when the whole system feels like it’s on the brink of collapse. When everything that took so much effort to build seems threatened, fragile, on the verge of destruction.

I poured my heart into building a structure for trauma healing that brought people from around the world together—each using their gifts, contributing from their perspective, shaping the program. The process was filled with joy and laughter, as well as tension and tears. At one point, I feared the whole thing was being destroyed.

And yet, thanks to others who have carried the work forward, it is going strong! The wheels keep on turning.

So in this moment in the US when so much feels up for grabs, I take heart: good structures can survive and flourish, by God’s grace—and sometimes when you least expect it.

This painting reminds me of that hope.