Peace

102cm x 102cm

Acrylic and impasto on canvas

"Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid."

One of my only memories as a child was a family picnic on the river bank. No one noticed the little 3 year old me toddle away from the group and down to the river. 
I plopped into the water and immediately sank to the bottom. I remember no fear at all, just sitting there peacefully looking up at the beautiful colours and swirls as the light reflected and bounced around me.
Then a great big hand reached into the middle of the light shaft above me and I remember thinking God was reaching out to save me, even though I had no real concept of God. 
Well it was my much older cousins hand who grabbed my clothes and pulled me out, but I believe with all my heart that Pappa God had alerted him to my whereabouts.

I had nothing but peace in a place that could have easily led to my demise, but in this place of peace I found such a love for water. I had continuous dreams from then on that I could breathe under water like a fish, and the first time I went to heaven, when I jumped in the River of Life, I realised I could swim and not come up for air!

In the "above" water you will find the original Hebrew name of God YHWH and in the mid water you can search for the Hebrew letters for Shalom- the pure peace of God, nothing missing, nothing broken.  שָׁלוֹם