With age, we accumulate scars, which open us up to art. Take Van Gogh’s Irises. When you look at those flowers, you’re not just seeing a pretty painting. You’re seeing a man who was shattered. A man who was suffering deeply like a tormented saint. He was lonely, aching for love, and utterly misunderstood. When Van Gogh painted those irises, he wasn’t merely capturing their color and shape; he was grasping at something to hold onto, something to keep him from drowning in sorrow. The point is that when beauty is viewed through the lens of agony, it can transform into something else entirely: a life raft for your heart. But tragically, even beauty wasn't enough to save Van Gogh in the end. That's what makes his work so moving. Some of the most breathtaking beauty humans have ever created comes from wrestling with nearly unbearable levels of pain.