“Going Home”

This is a painting entitled “Going Home”, created by Amaey whose profile is described in Kids & Art Foundation. I purchased this painting at a fundraiser for Kids & Art few years ago. The moment when I saw it, I was drawn to it – my i-phone camera does not do justice to the vibrant splash and gloss of glistening colors. It seemed to capture this sadly beautiful “energy” you might call it a “wish” or a “desire” of a 7 year old boy who really really wanted to leave the hospital bed and the treatments behind and just be freed to go home! I don’t know if you can see but you see two little birds flying back home to the nest, when the whole sky turned to red/orange hue of brilliant colors imbued with golden threads of setting sun. Looking at it moved me because …not cured, not healed, he did not get to go home. Or did he?

the medium is not oil but tissue paper and temera paint that appears to be fading unfortunately…which compelled me to “save” the sparkle by covering with museum quality glass…

The painting sat unframed for few years because when I first went to look for an appropriate frame, I just could not find a fitting one. Nothing worked; nothing was right – maybe I could not display it on a wall as then, it gave me a very heavy feeling. Finally – determined… I found a very simple frame and framed it few weeks ago. Now it hangs on the wall. At last. Now angelic light shines and reflects off the framing and … there’s a soft glow where the paining hangs.

Back then, it seemed so unreal that Amaey did not go to the physical home occupied by his mom and dad and his brother … but rather to a spiritual home up in the sky when he was nine years old. In 2011. Somehow I could not believe that someone so young and full of life and promise can just perish … and if I, such a third party felt this way, I cannot imagine how his family, those closest to him, so involved in the battle to beat cancer – how those closest to him felt about losing that fight to save him – it’s rather unreal.

Today,

the painting is now framed and whenever I look at it … I see the beauty of Amaey’s smile, his zest for life and his brave homecoming.

I will post the framed painting soon. This painting gives me strength and gratitude for the life we live. Amaey’s mom, Purvi Shah has kept the memory of her son alive by continuing to provide art therapy through Kids & Art Foundation. Their annual auction fundraiser just took place last month and Purvi again shared the organization’s mission to provide the support to those kids and affected family members. Art is therapeutic as is yoga. (Purvi is also a certified yoga instructor… a training she went through after Amaey’s death.)

How does one cope with grief of losing someone as precious as one’s own child? It would seem that there’s no greater challenge to overcome such grief for any mother. More the reason, I so respect someone who harnessed her anger and grief into supporting and helping others after going through the unthinkable – she took what’s very negative and terrifying to most parents and … turned it into something very positive… an earnest and sweet memorial for Amaey to celebrate his short life on earth and long eternal life in the cosmic universe. She comes from a place of empathy and deep love – with a conviction in her mission to serve. Amaey must be her guiding … light.