Mixed Media on Canvas • 24″x30″ • Private Collection

One night I had a dream.
I dreamed I was walking along the beach with my Wife
and across the sky flashed scenes from my life.
For each scene I noticed two sets of footprints,
one belonged to me and the other to my Wife.
When the last scene of my life flashed before me,
I looked back at the footprints in the sand.
I noticed that many times along the path of my life,
there was only one set of footprints.
I also noticed that it happened at the very lowest
and saddest times in my life.
This really bothered me and I questioned my Wife about it.
“Wife, you said that once I decided to marry you,
you would walk with me all the way,
but I have noticed that during the most troublesome times in my life
there is only one set of footprints.
“I don’t understand why in times when I needed you most,
you should leave me.”
My Wife replied, “My precious, precious husband,
I love you and I would never, never leave you
during your times of trial and suffering.
“When you saw only one set of footprints,
it was then that I cleaned up your filthy set.

Acrylic Painting by Heather Hall • 12″ x 16″ • Family Heirloom

There are dozens of paintings hanging in our home but this is, by far, my favorite. A number of years ago, my wife (who actually does have strong drawing skills) set out to try her hand at painting. Like most burgeoning painters, she first attempted to paint a 3/4 portrait of a startled, topless, bald man with a goatee. To her dismay and my delight, the goatee resembled an unfortunate stain… thus the title.

Ultranoise

I can already tell that my daughter is going to look exactly like my wife.