Reclaiming Sweet Dreams

The circle of our love Ripples outward through time and space This is where we intersect… Where we can always touch.

In the reflections at the water’s edge The light of the moon can illuminate our dreams And remind us of the magic that is there waiting Behind our closed eyes…

~ Kim McElroy

"Sweet Dreams"

When Jen commissioned me to paint her childhood pony, Bullet, she shared with me that she had never healed from the sadness of losing her best friend when her parents sold her pony. The small, faded black and white photo was the only picture she had. Jen hoped that a portrait would help heal her memories. 

To my artist's eye and heart, the moment depicted in the photograph was so filled with love, innocence, and peace, that I could feel it rippling through time to touch my heart fifty years later.  But I knew for Jen the photo held grief and loss. How was I going to help her transform that heartbreak back into love?

In my experiences of life and art, I have come to understand that when we seek and receive insight, we have the potential of connecting on a deep level with all of life, in that place there is no separation, only connection. Insight is defined as "a penetrating understanding and the ability to perceive clearly or deeply the inner nature of things."  My artwork and writing has always been the way in which I receive insights and it was the way in which I sought to reconcile Jen's loss.

In meditation I saw Jen as a little girl. Bullet appeared and led her to a magical pond. There a lily bloomed, surrounded by beautiful grasses and trees just visible against the starry sky. They were accompanied by a frog, and a butterfly. Then I saw Jen and Bullet reflected in the pond. Peace filled my heart and I began to realize that the pond represented their love, that this place, and Bullet's spirit were the feeling, the place, and the energy that Jen could tap into when she needed guidance, and to remember their timeless connection. 

I realized we cannot change the past, but we can go back in time and relive chosen moments of happiness and innocence. Jen’s love for horses was awakened during childhood, and despite the loss of Bullet she has spent her life rescuing horses. Bullet's legacy of love continues, and now when Jen looks upon this work of art, she can reclaim her sweet dreams.