Parables of the Cross by I. Lilias Trotter
From what I gather, Lilias Trotter was an artist that was inspired by Christianity. She believed the path of Christian spirituality can be likened to that of flowers. So throughout the book, Ms. Trotter included renditions of her paintings of several different flowers, and parables on how each of us could find inspiration in God by the blooming and death of these flowers.
My favorite painting and parable she had was that of the dandelion. Ms. Trotter described the path of Christian spirituality as a path of dying to your old self, and letting God work his beauty in each of us. In the case of the dandelion, it was in dying and each of its petals blown in the wind that it would have life again the following spring. Ms. Trotter stated beautifully:
Measure thy life by loss and not by gain, Not by the wine drunk, but by the wine poured forth,
For love's strength standeth in love's sacrifice, And he who suffers most has most to give."
Those words give me great motivation and encouragement to continue my studies as a Servite and where I can find meaning and purpose in my life today. I believe it can be found in giving and sharing of myself, not only through AVP, but also in my Grief and Loss Group, and, eventually, in a parish prayer group in my community beyond these walls.
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