This painting is my interpretation of achieving one’s desires through inner alignment vs. outer efforts. The long ladder represents the struggle of exertion to achieve a goal. Not that action is unnecessary. I believe it’s integral. But until we can envision the object of our desire in our mind’s eye with full expectation of it’s manifestation and of our deserving of it, we can work 24/7 and will never attain it. The bird’s eyes are covered to symbolize his inward focus, without concern for outer reality. The cherries – being the object of the bird’s desire – are within his reach. And though they look like they can be reached by the ladder in the distance, the tree and ladder (physical effort) are in fact far away and secondary to belief, desire and expectation.