The Nurturer

“The Nurturer” were the only two words that came to me while painting this for a dear friend and then in reflection thoughts came to me to go with these words. Straight away I recognised the title as one of the many names of our Creator. The meaning of nurture is to care and protect someone while they are growing. When many have been left devoid of care and protection in this life time, they can always put their trust in God, commune with Him and feel warmth and security. Like an old friend I know, who’s upbringing fell short of her basic needs resulting in emotional and physical illness...By turning to God in her later life, she said she felt a love and comfort she's never felt before. 

The need to be nutured is fundamental for a healthy life. In this physical life time, nurturing plays a vital role in our development. Women nurture their babies and children, fathers provide, care and protect their family and the earth provides all the sustenance we need. These are plain truths and anything that gets in the way of a child having someone to love them, a home and food to sustain them, is in my view, a different reality.

In our lifes journey we each have an opportunity to better this world somehow, within ourselves and by nurturing others, especially our children. I need to be honest, I don’t like what our own ‘reality’ has become. In this world we are creators and look at some of what we have made. Through the eyes of a mother, trying to guide and protect my children, the world out there can be cloudy, confusing, dangerous and actually quite disgusting. But I choose to stand strong in my own convictions. I believe in a straight path full of basic fundamental truths that will always guide and protect us and all I can do is show this to my children and pray they dont stray too far. 

This is a common emotion for all who love. The want to protect their loved ones. Sometimes I try to imagine God’s unfailing love for us, always caring, always protecting, always giving and yet we have created a world that is far from this in places. Why? Why has God entrusted us? I remember a quote by Bahá’u’lláh that says: “… I loved thy creation, hence I created thee. Wherefore, do thou love Me, that I may name thy name and fill thy soul with the spirit of life.” God loved our creation?…So our potential is great? - Of course it is! We come from God. And I step back, and as a mother I watch my children grow. There will come a time I will need to allow them to make choices on their own. But I have faith that they will reach maturity, see right from wrong and make good and wise choices. As a world, we have come such a long way. The world is in an age of maturity itself. We now see that the world is one body and are learning to work together. This is exciting. 

“We are all cells in the body of humanity - all of us, all over the world. Each one has a contribution to make, and will know from within what this contribution is.” - Peace Pilgrim

“All men have been created to carry forward an ever-advancing civilization. The Almighty beareth Me witness: To act like the beasts of the field is unworthy of man. Those virtues that befit his dignity are forbearance, mercy, compassion and loving-kindness towards all the peoples and kindreds of the earth.” — Bahá’u’lláh