“There is neither happiness nor misery in the world; there is only the comparison of one state with another, nothing more. He who has felt the deepest grief is best able to experience supreme happiness. We must have felt what it is to die, Morrel, that we may appreciate the enjoyments of life.
” Live, then, and be happy, beloved children of my heart, and never forget, that until the day God will deign to reveal the future to man, all human wisdom is contained in these two words, ‘Wait and Hope.”
― Alexandre Dumas, The Count of Monte Cristo
The painting above is another that is included in my show, Between Here and There, that opens June 4 at the Principle Gallery in Alexandria, VA. It is 12″ by 16″ and is also painted on an aluminum panel.
It is titled Pillars of Wisdom: Wait and Hope. This was inspired, in part, by the excerpt above from the classic The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas. As I was painting it, I began call this piece Pillars of Wisdom but after it was completed I came across this bit from Dumas. The idea of seeing these being trees named Hope and Wait and that they represent the totality of human wisdom seemed perfect.
So many of us live with a certainty and assurance that is beyond me. We have yet to learn all there is to know, all the answers to the infinite number of questions that hover over us like so many stars in the night sky. Perhaps one day we will fully be bathed in the light that is all wisdom, but until then all we have are those two words: Wait and Hope.
Hope waits for the light to come and Wait hopes for it.
Wait and Hope. What more do you need to know?
Redtree Times 
The question is, which side represents which quality (waiting and hoping) in your painting. The right side clearly is weightier; the Red Tree is nearer, the accompanying trees more numerous. Even the sun has nudged that direction a bit — it’s fun to contemplate.
Hmm… That is a good question. I am going to have to think on this one but most likely, whether the right side is Hope or Wait will probably come down to whoever is doing the looking. Like most things.
I agree. Perspective may not be everything, but it’s a lot.
Amen.