"A Glorious Ruin", oil on canvas, 30"x 40"

In dealing with a series of traumatic event that happened in my childhood, I was reading a psychology book that described man kind in two parallel phrases. One of the phrases was "A Glorious Ruin". It was referring to the duality of man's state of being and value. The book said that Man is glorious because God made us in His image. But because of our sinful or wrong decisions we have been tainted, entering the state ruin. Our first state still plays a part of our make up, hence, a glorious ruin. This may sound bleak to some but I don't view it that way. I see it more as "it is what it is" and lets work with what we got. I choose to celebrate the aspect of gloriousness and let the aspect of ruin sober me and humble me. I use the latter aspect as a tool to help me see my need for God and His help, which will lead me to a richer quality of relationship with Him.