Simple Love
Painting by Heather Harrington | Titled: Simple Love | Acrylic on Canvas
My daughter Emma has a big love for animals. At our house we call her the animal whisperer. She has a knack for knowing what our puppy Olive is thinking. Emma has a particular love for horses. When she was a toddler. she would call every horse she passed “Buttercup,” as she exclaimed, “I want Buttercup!”
Recently, I was looking for something fun to do outdoors with kids so I took them to beautiful Black Star Farms, located in the rolling hills of the Leelanau Peninsula, to see the horses. All my daughters loved seeing the horses but Emma seemed to have a way with communicating and connecting with them that was a little different.
This got me thinking about why we as adults so often give up things that we loved as a child. How do those early loves get lost along the way? And why is it so hard to return to them?
I recently found my way back to painting—something I loved early on in my life but tucked away for many years. Since returning to it, despite the hectic nature of the world these days, I’ve been able to find joy and happiness through the work. Painting has lit something inside me that I had long forgotten was there.
The painting above is titled “Simple Love.” I created it over the weekend, inspired by our trip to Black Star Farms. I hope it brings a little bit of happiness to your day, and that you find your way back to the things that bring you joy.
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Painting by Heather Harrington | Titled: Simple Love | Acrylic on Canvas
