Time Is Like A River

You can’t touch the same drop of water twice. It will never pass again. Enjoy every moment of life. This river in Durham, North Carolina was so peaceful that when I saw it, I literally closed my eyes and saw myself as a child fishing with my father on Lake Texoma on The Red River. There was something about water and the sound of it that gives me a sense of peace.

When I arrived at the RI Durham Crisis Recovery Center, the staff had chosen their idea for the mural. Joy Brunson Nsubuga, the leader of the site, and her crew wanted to see the Eno River and the Durham bull on the mural.

It was winter when I went to take pictures for inspiration. The river banks were free of green foliage. When I went back and drew the mural on the wall, I could feel the peaceful waters and a gentle breeze. The staff in Durham encouraged me to keep going each day. But where was I going to put the bull? I just could not decide. One morning it hit me to put his majesty on top of the skyline. So there he sits.

This was the most peaceful painting experience for me to date. The building I was at in Durham was not yet fully open, so it was quiet – I could listen to my music and create.

Lucy Schwartz
Lucy is a Peer Recovery Specialist at RI International and has spread her mural magic in RI International crisis facilities across the United States.