That it may help some others as the ocean currents bore it on its way. The painting "Mother Mary Blue" was being created at the same time I was composing the song of the same name. I often sing and write my songs while painting. The following is the story how it all came about. While painting at Lourdes, France, I met a religious order of two, Francis, Heart of Mary, and Sister Claire. They approached me and started a conversation dealing with the thoughts I was pondering that day. It was almost like they read my mind. I took them out to dinner, sharing the evening with them, discussing the positive intercession of Mother Mary in behalf of people in need. They asked me to buy a rosary and say it often. I said I would if Sister Claire bathed in the water at Lourdes as she appeared to be in a weakened state and had to rest when we went up the path leading out of the shrine area.

I recalled that evening how my mom told me when I was baptized that my dad took me in his arms and placed me on the altar near the baptismal font, which just happened to be an altar dedicated to the Blessed Virgin. I took it to be something out of his Jewish past. But I always have this deep sense of of caring respect for mothers in general and love for my mother and Christ's Mother in particular. I share my feelings on this subject openly. I feel that Christ's words to John on Calvary are important "Son behold thy Mother." When one looks back to Christ's first miracle it was done at Mary's request at the wedding feast of Canna. My basic feeling is that Christ wants his mother treated with the same respect and love that we extend to our own mothers.

My innate sense of compassion and sensitivity has led me for years to try to share hope through my creative efforts. I have always thought of my work as a form of holistic impressionism infused with some of the same healing energies that can be found in the balm of nature.

The Christ shape stood out in base relief light that you would only see if a down light or side light struck the painting. My friend and Mother-in-Law both lived by the sea. One in Maine and the other in Florida. I did seascapes on the small bottles of Lourdes Water and suggested that they pour some of the water into the Atlantic where they lived so that its potential healing powers would be there to help them and also reach out on ocean currents to help others. If you have some Lourdes water, may I suggest that you also pour a bit of it in a similar fashion in a stream, river, lake or ocean and give a brief prayer that it will help someone, perhaps even yourself.

It has been accepted in medical circles that individuals who couple faith with care do improve at a higher rate. You can pull up Mother Mary's Blue, a simple but beautiful song I wrote that was inspired by my three lady friends, as Carly Metcalfe, my poet friend and inspiration from Brisbane, who is always in my prayers, promised to put some Lourdes water in the Pacific Ocean off the Australian Coast. I shared Lourdes Water with Carly 8 years ago. She was very ill with Cystic Fibrosis. She is now 21. It was not a miracle even though all her friends who had that problem are now dead. It helped her be strong and to go on. When I first met her, it did help her over some very critical times. My seven year-old-son, Jonathan, poured Lourdes Water in the sea at Carmel Beach.

My Calling of Caring is to use my talents as a pawn of God in the service of man. I encourage people to get in touch with their own spirituality, as a point of balance and direction to find peace and comfort. I hope my painting, poems and songs touch them emotionally in a positive way and awaken their own spiritual energy as sources of healing.

I did have the feeling that Peggy would do well, and my Mother-in-Law would not. Peggy did do well. She elected to do Chemo, etc., and I have been informed that she is well. My Mother-in-Law, Jean, decided not to have treatment as her condition was advanced. On August 15th, the Feastday of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin, My Mother-in-Law died a happy death, surrounded by a circle of love provided by relatives and friends.

I have made videos of the sea with the song in the background, and in another cases I prepared audio cassettes of the song, Mother Mary's Blue, for others that I have shared Lourdes water with. I painted "Mother Mary's Blue" while composing the song that follows the painting.