#LessonsInLoss

[cristian-calistru]

"Whoever wants to be My disciple must deny themselves, take up their cross, and follow Me." (Matthew 16:24)

For this piece, The Altar of Sacrifice, I started with the desire to visually explore the symbols found on the Great Schema worn by Orthodox monks. Using digital collage techniques, I wanted to represent them in a way that doesn't confine them to an isolated "sacred" space but brings them closer to our everyday lives, no matter who we are or where we find ourselves.

Every detail tells a story. The cross inscribed with IC XC NIKA (Jesus Christ Conquers) is not just a sign of divine victory but also of the personal struggles each of us carries. The crown of thorns, the spear, and the sponge remind us of suffering and humility, but also of acceptance. The ladder symbolizes the inner ascent, the constant struggle between falling and rising, while the pillar speaks of perseverance and the trials we face. The rooster, seemingly a simple symbol, reflects the fragility of our faithfulness and those moments when we forget who we truly are.

Read more on: www.cristiancalistru.com/conceptposters

[christianornot]

Hope Carved in Stone

In Romans 15:1–6, Paul calls on the strong to bear with the failings of the weak, not to please themselves, but to build up one another. It’s a charge not simply to tolerate but to uplift — to be hope-bearers, not just hope-believers. And yet, hope often feels like a relic in today’s world. Everywhere we turn, there’s division, despair, distrust. Politics has become a game of blame, churches…

[eva-cfo]

The failed launch. The missed client. The “no” that stung. They all taught you something. That’s your edge. Real wisdom is built through what didn’t work. #LessonsInLoss #KeepBuilding #GrowthThroughSetbacks

[aflowerinthesand-blog]

True beauty, the kind that doesn't fade or wash off, takes time. It takes incredible endurance. It is the slow drip that creates the stalactite, the shaking of the Earth that creates mountains, the constant pounding of the waves that breaks up the rocks and smooths the rough edges. And from the violence, the furor, the raging of the winds, the roaring of the waters, something better emerges, something that would have otherwise never existed. And so we endure. We have faith that there is purpose. We hope for things we can't see. We believe there are lessons in loss, power in love, and that we have within us the potential for a beauty so magnificent, our bodies can't contain it.

Amy Harmon

[stickynotetoselfproject]

Simple note: "Wider dreams, wilder dreams." #stickynotetoself 434 (at West Side, Chicago)

[stickynotetoselfproject]

#stickynotetoself 497:? Rejoice away the pain. #lessonsinloss series comes to a close tomorrow, and then the posts will be #backtohappy.

[stickynotetoselfproject]

*Attempting to finish all of the gray #lessonsinlost notes by Friday and start posting a #backtohappy series of notes for the summer. #stickynotetoself 496: Dismissive dispositions damage decisions. Part of dealing with loss and learning from it is dealing with it. Facing it head on fearlessly and enduring the full range of emotions and feelings that uprise. Allowing yourself to cry, to be angry, to grieve, to feel. There is a cleansing feeling that comes with pushing through and surviving, so don't dismiss your feelings. Don't dismiss your pain. Heal.

[stickynotetoselfproject]

#stickynotetoself 495: "Gratitude is the antidote to jealousy." #lessonsinloss

[stickynotetoselfproject]

#stickynotetoself 493: "Rise in love." Be with those who seek to grow with you. You don't have to lose yourself in order to find love, nor dumb down your greatness or hide your weirdness. There is someone out there who wants to accept and support you for all of who you are. #lessonsinloss

[stickynotetoselfproject]

#stickynotetoself 492: #fatalflaw #lessonsinloss

[stickynotetoselfproject]

#stickynotetoself 441: "when you feel cut short from an opportunity, [a sense of] longing remains in the scraps of what could've been." It happens, and it's up to us to put our pieces back together.

[stickynotetoselfproject]

I really messed this one up, but I'm keeping it. #stickynotetoself 439

[stickynotetoselfproject]

#stickynotetoself 440: "Heartbreak should be considered as a type of trauma." I wrote this months ago in a conversation of reflection with a friend. I'd realized that I'd never experienced heartbreak in my adult life, and after feeling just an inkling of it, we both agreed to this conclusion. #lessonsinloss #founditinmynotebook

[stickynotetoselfproject]

#stickynotetoself 435: Will work less for love. Double meaning: 1. I'm willing to slow down my workaholic tendencies. 2. I'm going to stop trying so hard to find a partner, chill out, and keep living the funniest life possible.

[stickynotetoselfproject]

#stickynotetoself 430: "I wish I was privileged to have more options than strength." When I am hurting, I often have no choice but to "be strong," to "push through," and to "keep going," because so much of my life doesn't provide brave, safe space to feel, cry, and sit with my feelings. It it a constant and worthy fight to carve out avenues of expression for these and not stay silent about how my feelings. I'm thankful for #stickynotetoself being one of those avenues. -De (at Maryland Institute College of Art)

[stickynotetoselfproject]

#stickynotetoself 427: "Don't dwell on desires that are determined to die." Sometimes you have to take the hints and move on to bigger, better destinies.