TO LIVE AN INSPIRED LIFE MEANS TO LIVE WITH PASSION, APPRECIATION, GRATITUDE AND LOVE.
It makes me smile with tears gushing from the depths of my soul to listen to this song. Don McLean captured the heart and soul of a true artist, Vincent Van Gogh, who was in pain because he thought no one, including himself, could appreciate his own beauty.
Only an artist like Van Gogh could mask a wound so deep and paint it in colors. Van Gogh longed for love & validation just like everyone else. On another plane, only an inspired artist like McLean could understand the sadness of an empty heart and sing it with such melody. Although it was too late for Vincent, McLean wrote the song with inspiration and appreciation for Van Gogh.
Vincent "the pure hearted, singleminded boy", Van Gogh "the infamous Impressionist, one of the most Incredible Artist ever" struggled within himself, seeking the purpose of his life.
Although I know of this song, I never really knew what it meant until I heard it again from Dr. Wayne Dyer's public TV broadcast on his book "Inspiration: Your Ultimate Calling". Dr. Dyer explained how Van Gogh's parents lost their first child also named Vincent at birth. And when they got pregnant again, they named him Vincent once again. Vincent felt as the "replacement child" and never his own person.
It is heart breaking for me to know that miscommunication between parent & child can mean so much more on a different level and how a parent's influence and/or views on his/her child can be so powerful...so powerful that it can destroy or build the his/her child's soul. But how far can that influence and interpretation take? Although I see Vincent's heart as a child, I cannot help question his manhood. Does a rightful passage from child to adulthood need to take place first and what would that require? Was he that confused or was he ahead of his time? He felt unwanted because he was viewed differently by others that he ended up believing it that way instead of embracing his uniqueness. Why did he needed to wait for someone else to tell him how wonderful he was when all he really needed to do was look at himself in the mirror and paint a different picture? Perhpas it takes someone like him to sacrifice a life for someone like McLean and me to be inspired by his story.
I appreciate you Vincent, although it maybe too late for you to know but you have inspired me as well. Your unfortunate death jumps at me and pushes me to face myself again. In your honor, I face the mirror and paint a self portrait that would capture every shadow, every wrinkle and every emotion I feel within me. In gratitude, I promise to capture not only the shadows but the bright light in my future. With passion, I will not wait for anyone to do it for me. With love, I shall paint my life as I imagined it to be.
I can't help but see that it is our own self views that destroy us! It is how we choose to take in the preception of others and make it our own or not that makes the difference. No matter how much influence our parents have on us as their children...in the end it is our self validation and self confidence that will set us free to soar any heights. I consider myself truly blessed to have realized this early on in my life and be the little girl and artist I can be in my lifetime...HAPPY and ALIVE!
Thank you Vincent Van Gogh, Don McLean and Wayne Dyer for the inspiration, the reminder of how a blessing comes in many forms and that it is only in our perception that it would be.
VINCENT - Don McLean, 1972.
Starry starry night, paint your palette blue and grey
Look out on a summer's day with eyes that know the darkness in my soul
Shadows on the hills, sketch the trees and the daffodils
Catch the breeze and the winter chills, in colors on the snowy linen land
Now I understand what you tried to say to me
How you suffered for you sanity
How you tried to set them free
They would not listen they did not know how,
perhaps they'll listen now
Starry starry night, flaming flowers that brightly blaze
Swirling clouds in violet haze reflect in Vincent's eyes of chine blue
Colors changing hue, morning fields of amber grain
Weathered faces lined in pain are soothed beneath the artist's loving hand
For they could not love you, but still your love was true
And when no hope was left in sight, on that starry starry night
You took your life as lovers often do,
But I could have told you, Vincent,
This world was never meant for one as beautiful as you
Starry, starry night, portraits hung in empty halls
Frameless heads on nameless walls with eyes that watch the world and can't forget.
Like the stranger that you've met, the ragged man in ragged clothes
The silver thorn of bloody rose, lie crushed and broken on the virgin snow
Now I think I know what you tried to say to me
How you suffered for you sanity .
How you tried to set them free
They would not listen they're not listening still
Perhaps they never will.
melancholy  | Currently reading: Inspiration: Your Ultimate Calling By Wayne W. Dyer Release date: 28 February, 2006 |
