Nothing new on the Free Bench

Today, K--- and our niece, S-----, who is 15, walked to a grocery store in our neighborhood.  I saw them down the block, walking back.  K--- carried the groceries so that S----- could carry a painting she had found on the sidewalk.  It made me think of the paintings that have appeared on the Free Bench.  I know I mentioned the green one with the swirly circles (which S----- also snagged - she is quite the collector of art).  When I say paintings, I don't mean some reproduction of Monet's Water Lilies (though that sort has shown up, too).  I mean things that some artist in the neighborhood has painted and has seen fit to bring to the Bench.  There is something a little poignant but also hopeful about this.  Perhaps all of this artist's friends have taken as many of his or her work as they are likely to.  And still the artist produces.  Finally, they don't have enough room to keep storing things themselves.  They bring their paintings to the Bench as a kind of offering, out of the need to complete the cycle they have begun.  Because there are these things we do that are meant to be seen, read or experienced by others if those things are to realize their intent.  These artists that bring their work to the Bench, they will never know who has their work.  But they can come by the next day and see that the painting they left is gone.  That's how they know that someone saw merit in what they did, and liked it well enough that they wanted to bring it home and look at it every day