One day, a man named Gary contacted me. He said he needed me to paint for him. He wasn’t sure when or what, but he said he would be in touch. six months later I heard from him again and he told me a little bit about his story.
He had lost his wife to illness. She was a beautiful person who loved her garden. He said he could see her in my angel paintings. Immediately, a strong visual image came to me of an angel in the garden giving him a dove.
I didn’t realise until later that I wasn’t painting for him to remember her, I was painting from her to help him move forward. A message came through my painting from her to help him find peace. Her love will always be there even though she is not. Gary felt trapped, knowing he didn’t want to leave his wife behind. He didn’t realise she would always be in his heart, regardless of his future life.
Angel in Our Garden is a story of eternal love. Sad, yet everlasting. This angel comes to visit the garden with a white dove, which is a symbol of her love, and a gift of peace to her husband. He is painted as a frog, her prince charming and love of her life.
The dove is there to remind him to keep his heart open and to love again. She will be there to protect him and the kids. To find her again, all he needs to do is visit the garden.
It’s not easy to move forward from someone when they have gone. But with courage and strength, it’s possible. The little blue wrens symbolise this strength. They’re a reminder to keep an open mind, to have courage and to never say never. They will also remind him to expect the best and he will receive the best, because that is what he deserves. There are many more doors to open in his lifetime, he will know when the time is right to walk through them.
The shooting stars are the memories they shared together as a couple. Things that seemed to go by so quickly, like a split-second shooting star, yet will never be forgotten. The grasshopper reminds him to have courage, take that leap forward, be brave and live his life in happiness.
The turtles fly in to teach gratitude. A positive, grateful thought a day builds a lifetime of gratitude, which in turn creates happiness. The butterflies are their three beautiful children who have found their wings to fly.
This is a joyful, growing and abundant garden, filled with a family’s love.
