#ArmChairTravelling
Serena had always wanted to travel. She was a huge art lover and had wanted to see the top museums and art galleries of the world. But unless she won the lottery, that wasn’t likely.
So she went to the library and scrounged the art books and saw the buildings where they were housed as well. Just adoring the architecture as well as the changing exhibits. She got to know their fave artists and found books of their best known pieces as well.
And she saved her money for the day she might actually be able to go.
She was at the library almost every day. You could find her there if you knew where to look, and when of course!
Till the day the announcement went out that the library was closing.
She nearly howled! Her passion, her time, her joy all gone in one fell swoop.
And she cried… First she had no money, now she had no library either. What was she going to do?
Serena confided in a friend. Who happily showed her the web-sites of her fave galaries and museums. Serena used her little bit of savings to join the sites and take their virtual tours. She saved some of ther faves, so she could take them over and over.
Till she found out the staff of the galleries and museums were prohibited from working with the public. They couldn’t even gather to prepare the new site materials. To prepare the exhibit changes.
Serena howled!
And went running back to her friend for advice. She couldn’t bare being separated from her joy, her reason for being.
And found out that the major museums and galleries may be closed, Their web-sites left as if frozen, but each major artist had their own web-site. And you could still see their major works and see their piece-briefs.
So Serena would spend hours looking at each artist’s body of work. Enjoying reading about each piece, and looking at them in their glory. Over and over.
And her friend also suggested googling that artist and asking if there were similar schools, or themes that she might like.
This meant that Serena was exposed to names of artists she had never seen before.
And she just revelled in these explorations. Becoming more and more knowledgeable about the best of the best. In a way she could never have done had she travelled by boat or plane.
Now and then, she went to her grocer’s and picked up an international sauce and put it in her barest of rice and chicken. And lit a candle. It made it seem like she was having dinner out before her tour of the gallery or museum.
Serena was happy, while the library, galleries and museums were inaccessible. Because she had found a way to modify her needs so she got what she wanted, needed and still felt the joy, the passion of art.
Till the one day when the musuems and galleries, or maybe the library could re-open.
And she dreamed of the day when she could see the art in person. Don’t get me wrong. But she treasured what she could have, while it was all she could have.
Glad of the friend who was able to tip her off on how to make her love possible when each obstacle arose. Until the obstacles were gone.
And then Serena went back to the library and sat in the art stacks again. Scrounging over the books. For hours.
And she looked at all the sites she had grown to love as well. And just loved what she could have a bit more.
mspeachierocks 