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The last two days I have been practicing the painting technique of Alla Prima. It is the Italian name for “one attempt.” Using oils, you keep applying, wet on wet, until the painting is finished. The beauty lies in the moment. The absolute of the here and now. Not looking forward, nor back. There is no time to be too rigid or too precious. And it makes me wonder, hope really, that I can live like this.
If I approach each moment, knowing I get this one day, this one chance under this sun, to live, to love, would I get it right? Could it be more beautiful? Loving someone in the moment, forgetting the constraints of “you should have,” and “I was going to,” and “I’ll get to that later.”
It’s funny that the words of Eminem ring in my ear as I move the paint around the panel —
“You better lose yourself in the music, the moment
You own it, you better never let it go
You only get one shot, do not miss your chance to blow
This opportunity comes once in a lifetime.”
The sun is coming through the morning window. Offering us the chance, the moment, the opportunity, to be beautiful. Will we make the attempt?
