When traveling to Spain for our month sabbatical, Russell, Augie and I enjoyed a stop over in Oslo. Upon visiting the Munch museum, I had one of those moments where time simply stops.
While listening to an audio guide explaining Munch's painting, "The Researchers" (inserted above), I watched as my one year old boy explored an installation in the exhibit. The installation encouraged exploring light & the magic of perspective. The audio guide explained that Munch's painting was created to display children as "researchers"... explorative little beings open to learning from the world around them.
Upon hearing the word "researchers", most people think of academics gathering information in a formal setting and creating hypothesis based on their observations. This painting encourages its viewers to see research from a different perspective - as children view the world with unassuming, adventurous & curious eyes.
Augie explored that installation for nearly 30 minutes (if you know a toddler, you know this is quite a while to hold their attention). As I watched him explore and listened to the explanation of this painting, I was inspired to be like a child - filled with awe, wonder, and exploration. This world is filled with mysteries around every corner - we simply need to be open to what the universe & God are speaking to us.
The central painting in the exhibit, "The Sun", was the focal point of the room, illuminating all the other paintings around it. In this painting, the sun is the life source for the other paintings in the room. It sheds its light & inspiration on every other piece.
Without getting too into the weeds of my thoughts, this was awe inspiring. The sun, a cyclical point of creation, sheds light and life on our world. This world is an incredible mystery. This exhibit encouraged me to have a curious perspective - not only during our sabbatical, but also throughout my lifetime. It seems that I often find myself falling into cautionary & predetermined perspectives, and when I open my mind to all the present moment holds, there is both peace & wild imagination.