At first Lauren could barely breath, her heart felt as if it were going to pound right out of her chest and tears welled up in her eyes. She stood there for several minutes staring at the painting she had just done. She knew without a doubt that this was a painting she would never sell, it belonged to Isabella. She had captured the beautiful autumn colors like she had hoped, but she had also captured something, or more correctly someone else. The painting was of Isabella sitting on her rock by the little brook lost in deep thought, with all the beautiful fall colors surrounding her. But that wasn�t all. In the painting Isabella�s father, John, was knelling beside her with his arms wrapped around her protectively. His figure wispy and barely seen. She had painted the spirit of her beloved husband guarding and loving their only daughter. It seemed so fitting with all the talk of Halloween and what it means. Lauren wasn�t sure how to tell Isabella. She took a deep breath and another long look at the painting.

�Isabella I want you to see something�.� Lauren began.
  �What�s wrong mother?�

    Isabella could tell by the sound of her mother�s voice that something had upset her. Then Isabella saw the tears in her Mother�s eyes, she was frightened and ran towards her.
Before Lauren would show the painting to Isabella she reminded her of the meaning of Halloween and what they had talked about. And of how she had always told Isabella that her father was watching over her and that those we love are always still with us in our hearts and in spirit. This painting told the truth better than words would ever be able to. She didn�t want the painting to make Isabella sad; she wanted it to show Isabella that her father loved her deeply even though he wasn�t here. Finally Lauren moved to the side so that Isabella could see the painting.
     Like her mother, Isabella was unable to speak. She stared at the painting; she took in every little detail of her father. She knew it was her father; her mother didn�t have to tell her, she had seen many pictures and paintings of him. Isabella began to smile.

�Oh momma, it�s so beautiful�
�I love it, and now I will always have my father with me. I always knew he was, but now I can see it.�

Lauren didn�t speak, she moved beside Isabella and put her arm around her, together they stood before the painting each lost in thoughts of the man she had painted.  Finally they gathered up their things and started for home. Isabella already knew where she was going to put this very special gift. She was going to hang it above her bed where she could see it the last thing at night and the first thing in the morning. Isabella smiled.


                                                                     
                                                                   Willow Riverwoods (LKM) 2006
Isabella'sLesson
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