Yielding to Life

Print available for this painting

Yielding to Life * Acrylic * 40” x 30” *

“All men make mistakes, but a good man yields when he knows his course is wrong, and repairs the evil. The only crime is pride.” ― Sophocles, Antigone

Yielding is such an interesting word. Indeed, one you don’t hear very often in everyday conversation. Yet, there are definitely times in our life where we have considered whether to yield, to stop all together or to just push onward. I do believe it takes a little or perhaps a lot of finesse to know when to pause, take a break or maybe even go in a different direction.

I don’t believe yielding means to give in or give up. More likely, it means to move with the flow of the current to make the passage easier or more fluid.

“If a branch is too rigid, it will break. Resist, and you will perish. Know how to yield, and you will survive.” ― Liezi, Lieh-tzu: A Taoist Guide to Practical Living

“Strength should always be complimented by softness. If you resist too much, you will break. Thus, the strong person knows when to use strength and when to yield, and good fortune and disaster depend on whether you know how and when to yield.” ― Liezi, Lieh-tzu: A Taoist Guide to Practical Living

“Those who are the happiest are not necessarily those for whom life has been easiest. Emotional stability results from an attitude. It is refusing to yield to depression and fear, even when black clouds float overhead. It is improving that which can be improved and accepting that which is inevitable.”
― James C. Dobson

“The dreams you have that may meet mockeries from the lips of negative people will yield the success that will squeeze tears from their eyes later! Dare to resist every negative criticism and persist to make it happen!” ― Israelmore Ayivor

I find each one of the above quotes quite different but enlightening to one’s betterment. Sometimes, while creating my artwork, I often find myself at a crossroads – do I continue with what obliviously is not coming together, do I push through or do I yield and come back another day to continue my adventure of creating.

This painting titled “Yielding to Life” with its bright vibrant infused colors of blues, greens, reds, oranges and yellows is just a reminder that only you can decide when to yield and when to press onward. In fact, to create this acrylic painting, I had to yield to my inner voice before it became something I liked.

Do you yield to challenges in your life or do you look for other avenues?

Dare to Feel,

Red (Linda Harrison)

See more of Red’s Creations in her gallery. 

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