Afraid/Unafraid

Untroubled;
by waves of dread
on tormented seas
he slept.
Serene salty sleep
drowned any fear that night.
Trouble would come soon enough.
In a garden on that night
whilst others slept …

unafraid.

We are so familiar with the story of the calming of the storm it is easy to forget that while that night the disciples feared, later they did not. Indeed there are times when it would appear, some of them at least, were quite prepared to throw caution to the wind and take on the authorities. Then Jesus had to calm them not because of fear, but because of impatience. Once Jesus was in the tomb they feared once more, but only for three days. This journey on the boat reminds us that we can loose our fear when we trust in God.

This week a collage of sea blues to storm and calm. While the idea worked it was a bit stark so as I had a notion to write – do not be afraid – over the collage, I set about exploring how that idea might also quieten down the collage. I settled on writing it on tissue paper repeatedly in a line forming the shape of waves lessening, and then pasting it over the image. I also added some extra tissue paper as the foaming of waves.