January 28, 2013 – Stupid Hearts Project – THESE BLUE CHAMBERS
Funny, I was just remembering that the topic of my sixth grade science fair project was “The Human Heart”. I studied all about the atriums and ventricles and mitral valves and aortic arteries and the lungs and oxygenation. I diagrammed and drew and made a model to demonstrate the flow of blood. I obtained a sheep’s heart on the day of the fair and sliced it open and labeled all the parts with pins. I received an “A-Outstanding”. Then, I thought, what if I kicked this whole thing off by revisiting my 6th Grade Heart Science Fair Project? NEW!!! Updated!! “Sixth Grade HEART Science Fair Project (Revised Edition 2013)” Here’s where I now begin. This beginning is important to me on several levels. While I intend to take this project into symbolic visual representations of emotional states of the heart, I wanted to start really at the heart. An actual physical heart. And while I intend to utilize a multitude of mixed media in all of these representations, I wanted to start with the most basic media – pencil. This will be a pencil drawing. Mostly just plain ole graphite pencils, with some colored pencils added. I need to see if I still have my drawing chops and if I can express an abstract idea visually, in just pencil.
So, science says that restoration is possible and I want to believe that. If regeneration IS possible, how does that happen? Accidently? Naturally? Must we play a part in our own healing process? In an actual heart, the depleted de-oxygenated blood is forced (tumbles) into the right (blue) atrium and ventricle, and from there it is propelled into the lungs, where it receives the fresh new oxygen. The person breathes and it all just happens. Do humans who are emotionally damaged have to play an active role in their healing process, or is the saying… “Time heals all wounds” true? Can you just BREATHE your way back to emotional health and wholeness?
The movies imply that all you need is for the right person (romantically) to come into your life and everything will then be beautiful. You will be healed and completed. Is it that simple?
Scriptures say that God will do it for us. In Ezekiel 11:19 He says “I will remove from them their heart of stone and give them a heart of flesh.” Psalm 147:3 says “He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds.”
Is it that simple? “Voila?!” …as my co-worker Robert says as he enters the office each morning, as if it were a miraculous event that he should magically appear to do our bidding each day. Voila! New heart?
These Blue Chambers
From a journey through thousands of miles of capillaries/of life
I return
Depleted
Deflated
Drained
of oxygen and strength
I tumble into These Blue Chambers
Disappointed
after
Defending
during skirmishes against viral invaders
foes who constantly came to infect and destroy
Discharging
all ammo
during a mighty battle against a Great Trauma
Demoralized
but not quite
Defeated
Yet
With
Hope
Deferred
My Heart is Sick
I tumble into These Blue Chambers
I need to breathe.