I believe that this place way up high, somewhere over the rainbow, exists all around and within us. We just have to know how to visit it.
Dear Curious Souls,
For this first edition of Chicken Doodle Soup, I want to tell you the story behind the painting above, which I made last week after visiting Central Park. It’s called “My Place Over the Rainbow” . . .
“Hey, look - the lavender surrounded by all the green! So beautiful!”
My boyfriend Jay nodded with a little smirk. It must have been at least the third time already that day I pointed out a purple-green combo somewhere in Central Park.
My limbs felt loose and warm. While this first true spring day of the year rolled on, I continued to let out a squeal here and there about the color lavender, which sang out from the park’s emerald-dominant harmony. Soon, it was time for us to leave our urban oasis and we began to navigate our way toward the street until I heard her voice.
At first, I walked right past her, but the sound of her rendition of “Somewhere Over the Rainbow” reached into my soul and pulled me back. I retraced my steps. I didn’t even hear the bang of my bag when it fell to the cement.
Instead, I stood still, immersed in her song. My body felt all swelled up - in a good way. It was both wrenching and peaceful.
By the time she sang out the final line of the song (“Why, oh why can't I?”), I noticed that Jay and one of his friends had turned back to join me.
“Some things you have to stop for. They’re just worth it, you know what I mean?”
Jay grinned and replied jokingly with something along the lines of, “You mean the bathroom!”
My trance had passed, so we went back to following the winding path toward the street. [My lovely readers - I’m really tempted to include a yellow brick road reference here, but instead, I’ll just note my desire to! ;) Which is I guess a reference anyway...]
Somewhere over the rainbow, way up high, there’s a place that I heard of once in a lullaby. Where do troubles melt like lemon drops? What is that place high above the chimney tops?
When I was stunned into stillness by her operatic voice, I traveled to that place over the rainbow. When noticing the magic of lavender amidst a sea of green, I visited that place. And when I made this painting "My Place Over the Rainbow" I certainly took a trip to that place.
I believe that this place way up high, somewhere over the rainbow, exists all around and within us. We just have to know how to visit it.
With the love and warmth of chicken doodle soup,
Nicole Sylvia Javorsky