Ah yes, the lies we learn at our parents and supposed teachers knee. Great words. Bunny

Great first XD render! Thanks for sharing it. Interesting words, Dirk. Glad you held on to your art.

The image is great! When I chose to 'listen' things became 'more'.

A gut-wrenching honesty in your words that makes me pause and reflect on my own condition(ing). I was blessed to be taught from loving examples..and allowed to question. I still do. But my questions don't matter as much as they did, and I'm no longer afraid to admit my lack of knowing. Believing in God has always been easy for me. Creation in 6 days? No biggie- after all, He's God..and the only evidence we really have is our own way of referencing time. A day could represent who knows how long.. In the scheme of things (life and death) what does it matter..unless one is testing one's faith or lack of it by taking all Bible verses literally. Nothing that man does- whether God-inspired or not, is perfect..or inerrant, in my opinion. Free will. Maybe some questions can be answered within the context of man's agency. It's all about choices, isn't it? It seems you've chosen for yourself to live by what's true for you- questioning and choosing based on your experiential knowledge. It's clear to me- by reading between the lines, that you've chosen to reject the ugly lies and accept the greater law- "love." Love for Linda, love for your friends- canine and human, love for art..kindness and compassion and much more I am certain. You've certainly chosen to share yourself with us- to "lay your [beautiful] soul bare"..and not to "pretend" or be a hypocrite. I so admire that in you and others. I was raised in a Mormon home- "Christian" to those who may doubt it. But I saw loving examples all around me- not perfect, but loving family and friends who tried to actually live what they believe. I was taught of a loving heavenly Father and a Savior, Jesus Christ, whose very purpose was to die for me that I might live..and experience joy in this life and the life to come. No wonder it wasn't difficult for me to believe. Still, I questioned and kicked..and continue to from time to time. Thank you, my friend, for sharing you with all of us- your great talent and gift of artistic expression, in words and imagery. {{{{Dirk}}}}!

Nicely depicted, Dirk. Despite my conditioning to the contrary, I have always been one to question, and I'm proud to say, have also raised my child with such an outlook. Your words are compelling and an excellent reminder to keep the focus on what really matters.

The answers I know are just the blah blah blah that goes on inside my head, just my own experience, perhaps not useful to anyone else. Questions are almost always more interesting (and revealing). Thank you for this poem. I've been sitting here for quite a while, not moving on to the next thing, just enjoying sitting with your words.

Amazing pros!!!

Dirk, Very powerful words you have written. It takes courage to stand soul naked in front of others .Many people lack that courage. Once upon a time I believed in God, then read about Constantine the Great, (he wasn't) and came to not believe in God. Now, I believe in God again! ;) We all have a path that we must walk. Some people believe that God and Jesus are just crutches. But that is okay when we are crippled. I would have to say that I believe very much what fractalinda said, even though I was raised a Baptist. You don't believe in God? That is okay, think about this, God believes in you. No matter what you believe I think you are an extraordinary man. Lea

I read this as soon as the ebot popped into my inbox, and decided to wait until I had something appropriate to say. Now I'm back 7 hours later and I still have nothing to add. I certainly won't question your lack of belief, since I share it. Instead I'll just thank you for saying this better than I ever could.

It takes such a long time for most of us to get to this point, shed the stuff that doesn't matter and live. Thanks for reminding me, thanks for these potent, powerful words and the image ~~ they are true and real.

Mooi object waarvan ik graag nog eens een grotere versie zou willen zien. De nadruk van je inzending ligt echter op de tekst, de poëzie. Je hebt wat ontketend maar dat had je ongetwijfeld wel verwacht. Er zijn onder de 'fractalisten' hier heel wat diepgelovigen en die maken bepaald geen geheim van hun overtuiging, je mag er dus best eens iets tegenover stellen, al heb je al eerder meerdere malen duidelijk blijk gegeven van je opvattingen. Wel moedig om het nog eens zo duidelijk onder woorden te brengen en dat blijkt, gezien de reacties tot dusver, wel te worden gewaardeerd. Of deze fractal-site daar het meest geschikte podium voor is waag ik te betwijfelen. Maar ik begrijp dat leven, opvattingen en kunst bij jou zo nauw verweven zijn dat je jezelf wel gedwongen voelde om hier stelling te nemen. Sterkte, Ed

the real art lies, in my humble opinion... in asking the right question, and that question can only asked to oneself, as well as answered by oneself. de echte kunst lijkt mij: de juiste vraag te stellen, en die kan alleen aan jezelf gesteld worden, en ook alleen door jezelf beantwoord worden een warme groet naar jou toe Dirk ! juliette

Fantastic words and illustration too my friend.....!!!!

STUNNING IMAGE!!! SOME ART IS HELD IN THE TIP OF A PAINT BRUSH THAT IS HELD BY A BEAUTIFUL MIND..SOME HUMANS CAN'T HOLD THAT MUCH OF LIFE IN THE TIP OF THERE FINGER. THERE MIND IS TO DARK TO SEE A SPECK OF LIGHT..SOME REFUSE TO SEE..ART IS THE DOOR..IT CAN NOT BE OPENED WITH OUT A KEY..!!!

multi-folds foils streams-ribbon flows through the lines staying with you reads jumps on board as ribbons-lines waving weaving inviting reminding believe nothing from others even what I say... ____ *Smooth Projection - the layout moved/lines held my attention

Very profound!! True art is what an artist makes for the love of it, for the expression and satisfaction, not for the big bucks. I have always enjoyed your XD images, and admire your attitude!

Well said Dirk [=

Something struck me about this, and it's taken me days now to pin the elusive something down: the entire piece is tautological. Damn, I'm slipping, Dirk..lol. Redundancy, and circular, our attempts, our quests for truths, the simple want for a place to place convictions within (whether belief, work, politics, or art..yet only to land one lie after another). Questions. Though you loathe poets, once down off the proverbial fence, I quickly found that (as Rilke once so beautifully and insightfully eluded), therein lies truth (the only one I've ever found), and likely the only semblance of concreteness I will ever hold... the questions themselves. So questioning is my chronic quest. Yes, even they often seem in a very foreign language. But, the questions themselves, and a growing contentedness (I'm still working on that part) to live instead in chronic seeking, searching, has become infinitely less painful than constantly tripping over so-called mysteries, or bumping my head on the ceiling of one paradox after another. :) Extraordinary and soul-bare writing here, my friend. Hands down, platinum amidst all your writing posts of late. :)

My friend, thoughts, ideas, concepts are easy to come by - but as you've indicated wisdom less so, particularly when feelings and emotions conflict with cool logic. Excellent writing indeed. Mike

The problem with losing your faith in anything is finding something to replace it with. Well said. Some days I hang by a thread. Others find me riding the escalator.