the artist

In one of his recent blog posts, Donald Miller's contributer, Anne Jackson, was talking about Starry Night by van Gogh. She talked about how that painting is a deep and real part of who van Gogh was and how it was something in his heart that made him paint his paintings:

"I’m fairly sure van Gogh didn’t have any “what will people think?” thoughts running through his mind as he painted, either.
However, I do believe there is a purity and honesty in each of us that can be released when we set aside our expectations, our fears, and our desire to please others and simply paint whatever that unspeakable and great thing that’s inside of us. The world will take notice. Not of us, but of the great Starry Night in us that will transcend them and inspire them into believing the truth about the goodness that is inside of them as well."

This resonates with me in more than one way.

On the surface, it articulates my love of writing as a form of expression regardless of who I believe will agree with me or like it or understand. I understand. When I read it over, I feel it's my heart in words. Sometimes when I don't have those words to articulate what is on my heart, I get anxious because I can still feel that great thing inside of me (great not necessarily meaning awesome or agreeable but more just... big, and encompassing all of me).
Do you ever have a moment where you feel you just have so much more good in you that you could be actualizing but there is something that's in the way? That thing being selfishness, pride, greed, fear, jealousy... the kind of stuff that make us just average instead of Mother-Theresa-Awesome?
Well, which one is you: the good in you or the thing that's getting in the way?

On a deeper level, through her parallel, I think Jackson wants us to feel like a creation as well. Like if we're van Gogh's Starry Night, and God is van Gogh, then we were created out of a deep and lovely heart of a creator. Like there is something of Him written all over us or laced into our being.
Maybe that's that good thing we're all wishing we could express more. Maybe it's the same good thing that we're wishing we could just be more.