Van Gogh, Via Hoag
I recently received a text from my friend, mentor, and brother, Gary Hoag (The Generosity Monk), that's too good not to share.
On a recent trip to Amsterdam, Gary stopped by Vincent van Gogh's museum to spend a rare bit of free time. There, he picked up a book titled Life According to Vincent. He was reading it on his flight, then stumbled upon page 17. Here's what it said:
"In my view I'm often very rich, not in money, but rich [...] because I've found my work - have something which I live for heart and soul and which gives me inspiration and meaning to life."
Van Gogh is commonly considered one of the greatest artists of all time. More than 140 years after beginning his painting career, his name and legacy still endure in our modern world. Similarly, his work continues to bless people many generations later.
Gary is a big fan of van Gogh, as evidenced by his using van Gogh's art as the cover for most of his books (including the book he and I wrote together). Admittedly, I'm not extraordinarily well-versed in van Gogh. In my brief research, I have three facts that may blow your mind:
Van Gogh started his painting career at age 27, and in a 9-year stretch, he created more than 900 pieces of work.
In his lifetime, van Gogh only sold only one painting, which transacted seven months before he died.
Van Gogh primarily used flowers, landscapes, farmers, and himself as subjects for his art, as he didn't have enough money to hire models.
When we think of people like van Gogh, we automatically assume he experienced the material riches any world-famous celebrity could have access to. That doesn't appear to be the case with van Gogh, though. By most accounts, his resources were limited, and he relied heavily on the financial support of family members. That's a pretty ironic reality juxtaposed with the fact one of his paintings sold for $149 million in 1990 (approximately 100 years after he painted it).
With that context, let me share that quote again:
"In my view I'm often very rich, not in money, but rich [...] because I've found my work - have something which I live for heart and soul and which gives me inspiration and meaning to life."
Those words sound so sweet through the lens of a man who didn't covet and chase the riches of the world. Instead, he thrived on purpose, meaning, and fulfillment.
I've been thinking about this quote since Gary generously shared it with me, and I'll probably be thinking about it for many more days. I hope it blesses you like it did me.
In the words of van Gogh, via Hoag, I hope you have something which you live for heart and soul and which gives inspiration and meaning to your life.
____
Did someone forward you this post? We're glad you're here! If you'd like to subscribe to The Daily Meaning to receive these posts directly in your inbox (for free!), just CLICK THIS LINK. It only takes 10 seconds.