Family…

As my family grows and changes, I find myself thinking about time differently. Children become adults. Grandchildren arrive. Milestones seem to happen faster than they used to. There are moments I wish I could freeze…a laugh, a hug, a photo of Lilly that makes me smile for no particular reason other than she is mine to love.

Painting has unexpectedly become part of how I experience those moments. Sometimes a beautiful sunset makes me wonder how I would mix the colors. A family trip becomes inspiration for a landscape. I imagine paintings my grandchildren may someday look at and know that I created them during this chapter of our lives.

I spent years thinking that what I gave my family had to be practical. Help. Advice. Support. Taking care of things. Now I realize that sharing what I love with them matters too. They get to see me excited about something. They get to watch me learn, struggle, improve and keep going. Maybe there is value in that example.

I hope my children and grandchildren always know how deeply they are loved. But I also hope they see that life never stops offering opportunities to discover new parts of ourselves. I found painting later than I ever expected. And thank goodness I did.