she is a complete thing


gertrude stein wrote verbal portraits of two painters: picasso and matisse.  of picasso she wrote:

One whom some were certainly following was one who was completely charming. One whom some were certainly following was one who was charming...some were certainly following and were certain that the one they were then following was one bringing out of himself then something that was coming to be a heavy thing, a solid thing and a complete thing. One whom some were certainly following was one working and certainly was one bringing something out of himself then and was one who had been all his living had been one having something coming out of him. Something had been coming out of him, certainly it had been coming out of him, certainly it was something, certainly it had been coming out of him and it had meaning, a charming meaning, a solid meaning.  "Picasso" 1912

and of matisse she wrote:
Some said of him that he was greatly expressing something struggling. Some said of him that he was not greatly expressing something struggling.  He certainly was clearly expressing something, certainly sometime any one might come to know that of him.  Very many did come to know it of him that he was clearly expressing what he was expressing...Any one could be certain that he was expressing something being struggling. Some were certain that he was greatly expressing this thing. Some were certain that he was not greatly expressing this thing.  Every one could come to be certain that he was a great man. Any one could come to be certain that he was clearly expressing something. "Matisse"

there are types of greatness. some people experience it like picasso where it just flows out of them with seeming little effort.  some people are like matisse where they work and struggle to achieve greatness. both types are amazing to watch.  my oldest is a picasso greatness.
she illustrated this again this past week as she competed in her first ever track meet.  she is a freshman who ran the 100m hurdles, 100 sprint, 300m hurdles and 400. after her first event EVER she qualified for regionals, broke her high school record, qualified to go to santa barbara and earned her varsity letter. as proud as i was, was also as dumbfounded as i was. she had a crowd rush her in a huge hug "certain that the one they were then following was one bringing out of (her)self then something that was coming to be a heavy thing, a solid thing and a complete thing."
i am certain of it too.





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Walks on Fire said…
http://www.athletic.net/TrackAndField/Athlete.aspx?AID=6459596

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