“Spirit in the Wind” © Jen Norton

Oh, woe is me, woe is me…no one can possibly understand my pain and suffering! Well, yes, actually they can, and they probably have. In a spiritual realm, we are all connected. Pain or joy in any one of us has an effect in the paint or joy of all of us. If you’ve ever pondered why a teen can listen to the most hateful lyrics in a song and feel comforted, consider the fear and alienation driving the person who wrote it. If you’ve ever felt overwhelmed with joy in a worship setting and wished you could re-create that magic at home, consider that perhaps the spirit needs a minimum of two to connect. If you’ve ever had a desire to help or pray for victims of a disaster half a world away, you’ve felt the Holy Spirit.

We’re all just hoping someone will step forward and say, “Yes, I understand…I’ve been there too!” We all want to know we’re all alone in a world that constantly tells us we need to make it on our own.

But we’re never alone. Recently, I was dealing with a stressed-out-kid situation. While my emotional energy was being spent in resolving it, my enthusiasm for making art was greatly diminished. Same with my online presence. I’m never sure who’s out there reading my posts, so I was surprised when a fellow creative I only know online emailed and asked if I was OK…that she had sensed something was going on with me. I was reminded of the power of prayer. I was reminded that when we ask, someone answers. We don’t know who, how or when, but it shouldn’t stop us from opening our hearts to the spirit that flows and binds us together.

This piece is an ode to that empathetic soul, a person who I know owns horses somewhere in Oklahoma. I call it “Spirit in the Wind.” The Holy Spirit is embodied in the horse who rides across time and distance connecting us with unseen threads.

Original: 10 x 8″, acrylic on cradled wood panel. $200. Contact me for availability.

Prints available in my Etsy store: 14 x 11″ matted, $28

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