by Claire Mirkowski-Purdy
Published in 1972 and winning the Chistopher Award for the most inspirational book of the year, Trina Paulus’s Hope For The Flowers has been one of the most powerful books published in our time. The story of two caterpillars following the crowd to the top of the caterpillar pillar is a versatile metaphor that can apply to all of our lives, and at any age.
I had the opportunity to visit the HOPE Celebration at The Grail in Loveland. Upon walking into the oratory, I was stunned by the gorgeous setup. Illustrations of Hope For The Flowers were spun across all four walls, in the order of the story. Right at the front of the oratory was an adorable set of yellow flowers and sketches of butterflies.
At the celebration, I was able to converse with Trina. Needless to say, Trina is an amazingly successful woman, and it seems to me like she was destined for the greatness she has achieved. As a child, Trina would, “draw pictures of a caterpillar, a cocoon, and a butterfly” when someone would pass away. She has always loved the idea that once a caterpillar is brave enough to complete the stages of metamorphosis, they come out the other side a dazzling new creature.
A while back, before the publication of Hope For The Flowers, Trina embarked on a journey in Egypt, doing what she does best: helping and inspiring others. Her work in Egypt is still alive today, helping women and young girls in Upper Egypt learn to embroider and weave, among other things.
On this visit, Trina revisited her “second home” in Loveland, she went straight to work, doing art projects and readings with children and adults. Trina visited Loveland Primary School and Loveland Elementary School, helping the young students with Hope For The Flowers-inspired art projects, only using the colors yellow and black. As an artist, Trina taught me that there are different kinds of black: some that are more red and some that are more blue. Trina taught the young students to make the green that is in Hope For The Flowers only using black and yellow. Greatness can be achieved, even with a scant amount of resources.
Trina Paulus is one of the kindest people I have ever come across. Her cordial demeanor and positivity make for the most pleasant of interactions. Trina’s inspiring and commendable background of working at The Grail, creating Hope For The Flowers, activism, and sculpting is something many people never even dream of. What can’t she do?
In this LOVELAND MAGAZINE TV video Paulus talks about the current public exhibition of her Abraham and Isaac statue which was once hidden from the public and stored in a garage at Grailville.
To learn more about Trina and Hope For The Flowers, visit https://www.hopefortheflowers.com
To get your own copy of Hope For The Flowers, visit https://www.amazon.com/Hope-Flowers-Trina-Paualus/dp/0809117541
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Below you can watch the interview with Trina Paulus by Alana Johnson conducted on December 09, 2011.
The Trina Paulus Abraham and Isaac statue is a poignant and significant piece of art. It is wretched, distressing, tragic – and beautiful. It was stored temporarily for several years just outside of Loveland. Loveland Magazine Reporter Alana Johnson went with Paulus to an unlit garage at the Grailville Conference and Retreat Center to see it for the first time. Paulus hadn’t seen her statue for several years.
Paulus said at the time, “Over here you will see a hand with the knife in it… and over here… you’ll see the hand with his son. I’ve done a lot of thinking about this over the years – the great Christian mystery of the crucifixion and the resurrection and… The very unpleasant thing that God can ask everything of us sometimes… The whole mystery of why we die, and why we die so miserably sometimes… In our time it’s a very unpopular story.”
