You Paint Your Own Portrait

Although I am not a collector of art, I so admire artists and their works! To be skilled at having a picture or an impression in your mind and transferring it to a canvas or medium that others can appreciate, have a discussion around, and pass on to generations is a wonderful talent.

Upon President and Mrs. Obama’s leaving office, as with all past presidents and first ladies, their official portraits were unveiled. Kehinde Wiley was the chosen artist for President Obama’s portrait and Amy Sherald was chosen for Mrs. Obama’s portrait. There was a lot of buzz, conversations, and even heated discussions once the portraits were unveiled as they are considered by some to be quite unorthodox, compared to previous presidents and first ladies. I remember looking at the portraits and after a period of taking them in, I came away with the thought, you know, we paint our own portraits.

A few Decembers ago, my dear mother-in-love, whom I endearingly call “Gran,” transitioned from this earth to live with her creator and the great cloud of witnesses who have gone on before us. I truly miss her. This season, as I reflect on our lives with her I am reminded that she painted her own portrait and it was beautiful. She did not use the colors, brushstrokes, or techniques of trained artists such as Wiley and Sherald. But, she used the colors, brushstrokes, and techniques that she developed from a life of devotion to God, Family, and the Church. Gran painted her portrait with love. She understood the unconditional love of God that had been extended to her and she seemed to effortlessly extend it to others. She painted her portrait with kindness, fairness, gentleness, patience, forgiveness, humor, self-control, mercy, and peacemaking. In other words, she painted her own portrait with spiritual materials as she yielded herself to the Master Artist. We are all so grateful to have received so much from her and our family is so much more enriched because she was the matriarch of our branch of the family tree.

“You can’t color your world with someone else’s paints.” Israelmore Ayivor

We all paint our own portraits. We get to decide the materials that we will use and whether or not we will cooperate with the Master Artist. Will your portrait be painted with bitterness, selfishness, unforgiveness, hatred, and discord or will you paint a portrait that you and others will admire and want to hold on to when you are no longer with them? No one can paint your portrait for you. Nor can anyone deliver a eulogy for you that you did not live.

I would occasionally (as I tell my age) watch the late Bob Ross on television. It was amazing to hear him narrate the images he had in his mind as he used various brush strokes and techniques to bring his ideas to life. I remember him saying, “once you master brush strokes, painting gets easier. Then, anyone can put a masterpiece on canvas with just a little practice and a vision in their mind.” The Master Artist has given each of us our own pallet of paints and vision. I encourage you to paint the portrait of the person you are divinely designed to portray.

Always encouraging reflection,

WandaP