Room to Roam
Painting by Heather Harrington | Titled: Room to Roam | Acrylic on Stretched Canvas 12” x 12” x .875”
The inspiration shot for the painting “Room to Roam” - A fun hike and sledding at Hickory Meadows in Traverse City, Michigan
When I was a young girl, my mom tucked my arms under the covers while putting me to bed at night. It was an act of love to make sure I was warm and secure but I hated it. I immediately pulled my arms out, accidentally hitting her in the face in the process. I didn’t like to be confined. This memory stuck with me.
These days, I have my own daughters to raise and I’m seeing the early signs of rebellion coming from my almost eleven-year-old daughter. I have to admit, it was causing me strife the last few weeks. I initially pushed back but it only made me more worried, frustrated, upset and feeling like I was starting to lose my daughter to the teen years. This got me thinking back to my earlier years and my desire to be free and less confined.
I decided that I had to take another look at how I was approaching things or else I was going to make us both frustrated for years to come. I needed to learn to let go some, and give her room to make more of her own decisions (even if that meant making some mistakes). I want to encourage her to seize new opportunities and be bold in life while also making good decisions and thinking things through first.
The more I thought about it, I realized that the need to have space and room to roam isn't something that leaves us. It’s a desire that continues to grow in different ways throughout life.
Today, if I find myself stuck inside for too long, I feel confined just as I did in those those younger days when I was yanking my arms out from under the covers. I get restless and want to get outside.
While my daughter and I are in different spots in life, we both share in the same desire to have space and room to roam freely. And I realized that's okay after all.
The above painting is titled “Room to Roam” and is inspired by the happiness that happens when we have the freedom to let go. I hope you enjoy it and that you find yourself taking time to get outside and let go this week.
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Painting above by Heather Harrington
Titled: Room to Roam | Acrylic on Stretched Canvas
This painting is available and can be purchased by clicking the title.
