Mar 12, 2014

A Shield for the Heart


Recently, I spent a morning walking through the Philadelphia Art Museum, a favorite destination that never fails to broaden my mind's perspective to the larger worlds of art and history. It is a wonderful museum and a local treasure with a great variety of exhibits that are regularly exchanged, mixed with a large permanent collection. Of these, I truly enjoy spending time in a Japanese Tea room to relax and during the visit usually end up in the armor wing.

A section that I am sure draws every young man's fantasy of noble, armed battle , it holds pieces that go back  thousands of years. When strolling through it, I am always amazed at the various forms of protection man has devised to protect his body in times of battle. Some of them are strictly functional, with crude, simple, thick metal hammered into helmets and breastplates with heavy leather trim and others are magnificently ornate pieces of beauty and expression. The pieces with the multitude of small plates fastened together capture my imagination as in my mind, I take on the task of donning such a suit to face a foe. The workmanship that goes into these beautiful metal cases for the body are incredible. Three images below are of small details found in several of these suits of armor, but the one that really caught my attention that day is shown above. Within the hammered, etched, folded and polished steel is a small detail that spoke volumes to me. As you can see, in the middle of the chest plate, is a small heart.

In looking at this tiny but important detail, I thought not only of the physical heart that this suit once contained, but also of the 'heart' of the person that held the physical one in place. I wondered what did they think when the lifted these heavy pieces over their head into place...where they scared, or truly brave, discounting any danger? Was there someone worried for them and what they were going out to face? What did it take to face such a challenge that required such protection?

This small heart to me greatly symbolizes the essence of a suit like this... and of the multitude of ways we without such an armor, seek to protect our own hearts... rarely from  physical attack... but most often from emotional hurt and pain that confronts us in life. When challenged and hurt, we don't have the luxury to encase them in metal shields like this, but none the less, seek to enclose them, shut them down... silence them for to feel these pains can be too much to bear. The pain found in losing friends or family or even our dreams can be so profound, it can change our very nature and views on life. Sometimes in such events, we can find healing, but at other times, we cannot. It is in these times, I wish I too could 'suit up' and enclose my own heart from the pain, sealing it in place, rather than let it succumb and find itself shielded not in peace and love, but in numbness. I wish it were so simple as donning a suit.