As I pulled into Sonnenberg Gardens to paint last week, something I’ve done countless times, I took notice of an area I’d seen before, but never really paused to witness.
It’s a statue of Goddess Diana, housed in her Temple, under Roman arches.
It’s not new, and I’m not new to this space, but on that day, I felt an unavoidable pull to her.
So I grabbed my supplies, approached the sculpture, and set up—and I suddenly understood why my heart called me her way.
The scene was such that Diana resided in the shadows, gently contrasted with the brilliant sunlit walkway into the Italian Gardens that she watches over.
This interplay of the shadow with the light is something I’d been thinking about a lot in the week preceding this visit, as I began witnessing nature’s transition from summer to fall. The beginning of September tends to renew my sense of awe at the light and shadows that define this time of year.
But more than that, later research into Diana revealed to me that, as the goddess of the light and of the moon, her ties to nature, wilderness, power, reclamation of oneself, femininity, and the cycles of life were undoubtedly calling to my heart that day.
It was fascinating to me, how it all connected.
And so it was there—with Diana present, but quiet, in the shadows watching over the walkway leading people into the light—that I sketched, un-rushed, feeling the serenity of the moment. I let myself be guided by the light, allowed myself to sink into the shadows, and went where my brush led me, knowing that capturing the light and shadows was everything I needed to transport me back to that crisp, bright September day when I revisit the sketches to create a larger painting later.
On that day, like so many others, I listened to what called to my heart.
I was reminded, like I have been so many times before, that life will happen with or without me struggling to work more, try harder, or control what’s not mine to control.
When I can lean into nature—the cycles of the moon that sharpen my intuition and renew my sense of wonder; the sounds and smells of nature that bathe me in energy and reground my spirit; the light and shadows that remind me that many things can be true at once—this is when I feel most alive.
This is when I can feel, deep within my soul, that I’m on the right path for me.
Today, and every day, may we give ourselves permission to embody Diana’s fierce strength, independence, and connection to the natural world. May we let ourselves be consumed by awe. And may we give ourselves permission to listen to our hearts and take the path we’re called to explore, knowing that the universe will lead us where we’re meant to be.