"Just a Thought" Column continues in La Prensa of SA, 11-24

Just a Thought: Spending time in a museum
By Steve Walker

In last week’s column I wrote about two recent opportunities that I was allowed to perform good deeds as an extension of faith. Ironically they were simple in nature and both opportunities occurred at the HEB near my house.

Two shoppers on different days and with different types of physical disabilities crossed my path while I was in the grocery store. The effect of the encounters vividly reinforced my resolve to recall as many blessings that I have received throughout my life. Like so many others who receive blessings, I have a bad habit of conveniently forgetting them, or taking them for granted and dwell on what I don’t have at the moment. Of that I plead guilty.

This past week I decided to quit worrying and fretting about what I didn’t have and focus on the good fortune I have received in the past as a reminder of the blessings yet to come.

While reminiscing about my past blessings I remembered the enjoyment I found walking through various local museums. I realized that I hadn’t done so in a very long time. It suddenly occurred to me to visit the McNay Art Museum on North New Braunfels for a few hours to view all the works of art showcased at that location. Throughout the 70s, 80s and 90s I visited and immersed myself and soaked up the various exhibits. I realized I had not set foot in the McNay Museum in the last 14 years. Although I did perform one wedding on the museum grounds a couple of years ago, I did not go into the museum itself.

Paintings by the famous artists like Picasso, Renoir, Degas, Monet, and Van Gogh are featured at the McNay. I also enjoyed many fine local artists who are displayed there as well.

I particularly like Picasso’s paintings having travelled and visited all the major museums in Europe in the 70s and 80s to include his exhibit in Malaga, Spain. In March of 2012, 70 of Picasso’s works were on display at Texas A&M San Antonio. Some of those paintings had never left Malaga until then. My blessing was that I saw many of those paintings in a museum in Malaga and again last year some 30 years later here at a special invitation-only gala. It was catered under the stars with a guided tour of the artists work temporarily on loan to A&M in the Education Building! I count that as a privilege.

I was also honored to see the work of the other artists I mentioned at the McNay in museums like the Louvre in Paris, the Moderne Museum in Brussels, the Prado in Madrid, & the Rijks Museum in Amsterdam,  to name a few. Having backpacked 26 countries in my time, I would have to say I have been very fortunate.

The two hours I spent at the McNay reminded me that when I start feeling sorry for myself and wallow in a pity party, all I have to do is recall all the wonderful places I have visited, the opportunities I have been exposed to and all the blessings that I have experienced in my life.

And as always, what I write is “Just a Thought.”

Steve Walker is a Vietnam Veteran and former Justice of the Peace and Journalist.