The Illusion of Permanence

History is the stories we forget.
The looming uncertainty we are currently gripped by is nothing new, simply something new to most of us.

In the 17th Century, Vanitas painting came into vogue.
The paintings included skulls and other symbolism to convey the fragility of life and the vanity of man.

Frankly, I always found them rather morbid but never had context for the message they conveyed -- until now.

Plague has a rude way of waking us up to our true sense of scale in the cosmos and that permanence is a concept we use to bolster our genuine lack of control.

These new larger field paintings are a profound reminder to me of this illusion of permanence we seek.
Even the massive 140-year-old brownstone block walls are moved by time and circumstances.

It's a reminder to me to yield and adjust to the things ahead I cannot control --

And that this will pass.