I was at a wedding in July and I started crying a little.  A little girl asked me if they were happy tears.  I paused, thought about it, and said “mostly.” Although this was a very happy occasion, it was felt with a range of emotions.  Like a bucket of feelings had been spilled all over me and they came out as a few simple teardrops.

So often with life being full of ups and downs, even good things can be felt with a bit of loss.  Opposite feelings.  Hot and Cold, up and down, rise and fall.  That is exactly what I thought about so much when painting this.  The power of this waterfall.  The smoothness of the river top and then just a moment later a drop off so intense the water seems to scatter through the air.  All while this is happening, just a short distance away, are these daisies.  These happy cheerful daisies that reminded me that softness and harshness can coexist.  Happiness and sadness can be felt at the same time.  What a beautiful experience it is to be human and to feel.  While not all emotions are pleasant, they serve a purpose.  There are times when I feel an intense joy, so much that my face must be beaming!  But I know that I can feel joy that intense because I have felt a sadness equally intense.  It makes me appreciate the bad times because I know that I am learning to feel and learning how to appreciate the good times more.

I will remember this painting as a reminder to take the good with the bad.  To allow things to happen and to see the daisies during times of a fall.