I had no expectations as it was a surprise,
a gift, a symbol, a gesture, an acknowledgment of my words, my efforts, my
insistence that he would learn, thrive and excel in his own time and in
his own way.
I felt a rush of pride as the tears began to well in the corner of my eyes
I let them fall as I held this square canvas in my shaky hands,
The bright orange hue intermixed with the deep blue merged as one, and in between a shade of green, his favorite color.
For once I was speechless – huh lucky for him I am sure he thought!
The paint strokes were pure, real and crafted with intent and love.
I did not need to ask what it was or learn his way.
I accepted the gift for what it meant at that moment.
I knew that this gift would always be with me always.
I closed my tear glistened eyes briefly and sighed deeply.
From a distance I heard him mutter as he smiled broadly, the way he did when he was happy and felt safe,
‘I think she likes it’
With a brightness on my face, and a lightness in my heart I felt the salty sea on my tired limbs, easing my physical pain.
This was freedom!
Eyes now open I uttered a heartfelt ‘thank you’ to him and saw
his eyes twinkle.
As if he read my mind, he emphatically stated. ‘Miss I forgot’
He quickly came near and snatched the canvas from my shaky hands without hesitation.
Then after a brief pause and a deep breath, he began to write… my very own personalized inscription.
Nicole Demos, Helsinki 2023
