Searing beautiful act of loving others

For me, this painting has always reflected my relationship with my husband. Before we met, he had been living in Russia and I had been living in Prague. We both came back to New England for different reasons, and found each other. I was just starting to like myself when I fell in love with him, and while I lost myself all over again (in the best possible way), I knew I had met someone I could risk my true self with.

Staying with yourself while being with someone else can be challenging....and remaining oneself while being together has taken years and a lot of hard work. Today, I’m feeling grateful for all of it—all the mess, the ups and downs, and the searing beautiful act of loving others.

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When I look at this painting, I think of my young naïve self, living abroad—so unaware of the ways my life would unfold, and the ways I would be pushed well beyond my comfort zone. I remember my girlhood dreams of “true love” and the blind faith that allowed me to jump in with both feet. So many years later, I can see that it led to me finding my whole heart. It was there all along.