finding beauty

I think of how amazing it is to be able to type a name into a computer and come up with results instantly if they are to be found. I got a call from my worried friend from the previous blog, needing help. She is elderly, has a lovely collection of art, and was concerned about one piece in particular. It is a print on cloth of an intricate line drawing, a portrait of an African bride in an elaborate headdress. My friend, who remains the most free spirit and young old person I know, carefully and meticulously added beadwork fringe to the headdress. Her hands are so crippled with arthritis I cannot imagine how she accomplished this, but the beads are stunning and add the perfect touch to this piece of art. Her concern was that this work be passed on to the right individuals who would take care of it and value it long after she is gone. During our conversation the phone suddenly got silent while she wept at the thought of parting it. She implored me to help her think of who or where her beloved bride should go. I am by no means on the inside track of the art upper crust, but I have more knowledge than the average Joe about art, so I tried to think of places where it might be displayed permanently and enjoyed.

Now back to finding people on the web. One thought I had was to contact the artist. The print was dated "1988" and the name of the artist was on it, so I thought it should be an easy matter to find her. What if she was still living and might want to see the piece, or even have it back? It came from Africa. Perhaps, on the other hand, I would find that it is one of thousands printed out and of no value to a collector or an institution that might conceivably purchase the piece. Sometimes part of the value of a thing is how hard we search to know the truth about it. I agreed to do this, and will after I am done typing this blog. I wanted to heighten the suspense a bit, and perhaps I'll add the closing chapter tomorrow.

I do wish sometimes that knowing someone and understanding their heart was as easy as typing in a name. Relationships are a treasure, one of a kind works of art that take a lifetime to complete. Some are left unfinished, and some don't come out as we might hope. Others take long hours of labor to achieve even the smallest areas of expertise. Care is required in maintaining them. And then in some friendships we are only allowed to "keep" them for a short time, and be a helper and a guide to finding the right setting for their lives. As much could be said about children. I want to be the kind of involved and caring person that is called upon by God to guard His precious treasures on the earth. I want to embellish their lives with beauty that complements their worth. Well, then, I think I have a name to look up!