Taoists believe that there is continuity that flows through everything in the universe. It touches and connects everything in all times, places and dimensions. They believe this continuity is present in all parts of us including our body and spirit. It connects us to everyone and everything within and around us.
The Taoists call this connectivity The Golden Thread. It is a spiritual concept that binds us all.

I was introduced to this idea while accompanying my husband to his demanding treatments. A dear friend suggested that I imagine being connected to her positive thoughts for us through a golden thread. I frequently brought the image to mind, feeling less anxious and alone as the hours ticked by.

While grieving my husband’s death, I again found comfort in the idea of a golden thread guiding me through the barren landscape of loss. Just as the experience of grief twisted and wound through my life, I imagined the golden thread swirling through a dense forest, offering hopeful glimmers of light.

I used dark, rough-surfaced paper to create the background for this little canvas, to which I added trees, both painted and cut from black paper. The golden twine shimmers as it winds from one side of the canvas to the other. It is a reminder to have faith in the light even when feeling surrounded by darkness.