Unclenching

Recently at spiritual direction, I described the experience of relaxing more (the topic of my last blog entry) as "unclenching". I feel like I'm living a more unclenched life, less bound by perfectionism and rigidness, and more open.

Today was our monthly day of retreat and I reflected on what living an unclenched life means through paint and poetry. Here is the painting that I created and the poem that it inspired:

Unclenching

A tight fist, constricted and unyielding, 

stagnant,

closed. 

Heart-shaped (for a reason). 

Unclenching bleeds life,

seeping out from what was dry.

Its flow becomes color,

obtuse at first,

but soon transparent, luminous. 

Tight spaces ease into playful circles,

wisps of vibrancy, 

movement. 

Hues overlap in their abundance,

enthusiasm uncontrolled. 

Richness breaking loose,

unfiltered possibility.

Potential a seed for future fruit.