Friday, September 11, 2009

Remembering 9/11



My father with me and my son Christopher
the summer before my father died.
My Dad really loved Christopher.

This is a sad day for most people in North America. For me it's
doubly sad. My father died on September 11, years before the
planes hit the towers. In class we'll talk about how the world has
shifted in North America since that day. Many of the students'
families will have experienced either the loss of a relative, or the
suspicion and racism leveled at certain groups who are often
suspect just because of their religion, or country of origin.

And then we'll move on. Because now 8 years later, it's
certainly time that we do. It seems fitting though, somehow that
I'm working on painting a couple who are in love. It's a large
painting, and in real life the father is dead, and the mother no
longer young. As I work, I am deeply moved by the great love the
couple had, evidenced in every photo of them together. And I think
this is one of the surprising benefits of what I do -- that I can make
them live again, as a young happy couple.

Have a remembering-the-people-who-matter day

6 comments:

LeSan said...

Barbara I am very sad that you lost your father. I am also very happy that you had him in your life and that he had a chance to know and love your son. My thoughts are with you.

Barbara Muir said...

Hi LeSan,

I do miss my Dad constantly. He wasn't an easy father for little children, but he was my staunch defender in his later years. He dearly loved my older son, and sadly didn't get to meet the younger one.

My writing brother and I are continually quoting him, and humorously making up aphorisms that my Dad would never have spouted. I think he'd be touched that he is so alive in our thoughts, even when we
are making fun of him.

Take care,

Barbara

Janie B said...

It's very hard to lose a parent. My dad passed 2 months before my first child was born, so he never got to meet my daughters. I lost my mother 3 years ago. Loss like that is hard to get over. Best wishes for a day of good memories.

Barbara Muir said...

Hi Janie,

Thanks so much. I'm sorry you've lost your parents. I feel like my Dad is still a strong presence in my life. Maybe that's how love works. It does for me.

Take care,

Barbara

eldon warren said...

Me too. I think about my dad all the time. He wasn't the greatest father in the world but in the last years we were pretty good buddies. We went fishin a lot.
Eldon

Barbara Muir said...

Hi Eldon,

One of the comforting things about parenting that loving a parent who wasn't always perfect teaches you, is that your children will love you forever. Every parent, even those with the best intentions, makes mistakes. We are trying to be so much better than our parents were, but wish we could give our children more, that we always could have time for them, and say the right things at the right time. Turns out we have evidence that they will always love us, even when they're going through stages that make us question that fact.

Take care,

Barbara

Portrait Artist

My photo
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
I paint and draw on commission and for shows. To commission a portrait, or purchase one of my paintings please contact me at: barbara.muir@sympatico.ca
A major highlight in my career? Drawing Oprah Winfrey live via Skype for her show "Where in the Skype are you? Galleries: Studio Vogue Gallery, Toronto, Canada. The Amsterdam Whitney Gallery, New York City. Gallery at the Porch Door, Kingston, Canada. Your positive comments on this blog mean the world to me. I'd love to hear from you!