Peaceable Kingdom (2015)
Painting
An old neighbor of mine had this fallen apple tree in his yard. In Winter it looks like a dead tree trunk that was never cleared away, but in Spring it blooms despite its predicament. This symbolized to me the one of the tenets of Buddhism, finding the beauty in suffering. The prog rock band, RUSH, has a song called "Peaceable Kingdom" which as most RUSH songs, contains double entendres and metaphysical messages for the listener to consider. Peaceable Kingdom is a song about the misdirected focus of wars, and on a more personal level, listening to your heart over listening to all the voices telling you what is best for you. Meanwhile, despite the obstacles created by man, life will find a way...from the mud, the Lotus blooms.
