This painting is very dear to my heart. It is dedicated to my dear Uncle Tom Cook. He was the very first person to encourage me to begin my journey in art at a very young age. He even took me to my very first art class and helped mold my view of art. This is just one reason why he holds such a very special place in my heart and in the hearts of the hundreds of people he has touched over his lifetime. There are so many wonderful things to say about Uncle Tom. He is one of the most loving, gentle, spirit-filled, and gracious human beings I know. His love for people is contagious and I hope to someday be as compassionate as he is.
The reason this painting is so close to my heart is because Uncle Tom was diagnosed with stage 4 cancer recently and given a couple months to live. I painted this piece for him as a reminder that God will show him the way home. I know he might have rough nights and painful days as he is going through his final journey but I hope that this will serve as a sign that God is still moving and God will continue to move in Uncle Tom’s family, his friends, the people he has touched and the elderly people he has cared for while working in a nursing home for the vast majority of his life. Uncle Tom’s fight will end soon but God’s fight will not. His legacy will continue on in the many people he has sowed into. It will grow and bloom like the many beautiful flowers in his garden every spring. With every ending, there’s a new beginning.
Uncle Tom doesn’t know the impact he made in my early years that continues to make impact this very day but I hope to live it out by following my passion for painting and the arts. He is an avid gardener, oil painter, potter, and writes some of the most beautiful poems most of us have read. Uncle Tom, you are an inspiration to us all and your legacy will truly live on through the many lives you have touched. Your body may fade but the love you have shown and modeled to us all will live on for generations to come. That love is from God and so it is as eternal as your spirit is. With all my heart, I love you Uncle Tom!
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