Wednesday, October 1, 2008

Reunited


This was a past journal entry on 5/23/01 that I wanted to share.

Today I had one of those days where someone comes into your life briefly and makes a difference. At work, we have a program that has a virtual gallery where customers can search for prints. A man came in with his daughter to use this program. (This man was very ill and was on a respirator.) I immediately started to help him with the computer. He pulled out his wallet and told me that this aged newspaper clipping was the only picture he had of a painting he was searching for. He told me the story of how the painting hung in his father's house and how it had significant value. He went into the service and when he came home his father had passed away and the cherished painting was sold off. The man said that he remembered the picture hanging since he was 10 years old. He sat down at the computer and with determination he went through 250 prints, but no luck. The man decided to leave and I volunteered to search the database for him. If any luck, I told him that I would contact him. About five minutes after he left, I sat down and plugged in "plow". (The painting was of a farmer plowing his field.) Sure enough, the painting was there and I became excited. I later called the man and spoke to his daughter and informed her about the great find. The man and daughter came in shortly with anticipation to see the long lost painting. I sat the man down and as I pulled the print up on the screen, he reached his hand out and said softly, "That's it." I watched his face and the expression seemed to fill with closure and he began to cry. I began to cry and my smile was large. As I got all of the info together to order the print, the man just sat at the computer screen and "remembered". He came over to the counter, and with tears, he grabbed my hand and squeezed it with what I thought to be a tissue. He told me how very happy he was and how much the print meant to him. With a hand on my hand, he placed $10 in my palm. "Oh no, I can't take this.", I said. With a nod, he thanked me again and walked out of the store with his daughter.

A couple of weeks later, he came back into the art store to frame the print of his long lost painting. He handed me a small folded piece of paper with a typed message. I later read it to myself.

Adults should seldom apologize for tears.
#1 There are so many reasons for crying.
#2 Then is possibly the only time OUR TRUE selves surface.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
WE ALL
wear the mask that grins and lies!



This message later influenced me for the painting, "Bravado", which is a more personal painting about myself. Also, during that time of my life, people that I loved and thought new took off their mask and revealed their dark side. The side that we want to protect and hide.




1 comment:

Anonymous said...

So exciting and the colors are breath taking, We love them!