The Things We Leave Behind

On some occasions, a painting gives an insight into the common aspects of people's daily lives which most of them do not give any attention to.

After viewing all these three paintings, the main themes that came out clearly to me were childhood, uncertainty of life, and the tough choices that one has to make when his or her heart is at variance with the surrounding environment.

These paintings seem to tell different stories but, they all show that there is a deeper meaning attached to every human experience.

The Christmas Carol (1872) is quite revealing the children sitting in one place playing music and enjoying themselves. The small gathering of these children makes me recall my childhood days where there was no entertainment involving costly toys, cell phones, and access to the internet.

At such times, kids spent their whole afternoon playing outside, singing, visiting other people, and making memories with the simplest events. However, this has changed over time.

Nowadays, kids sit for hours watching screens and comparing their lives with other people's lives as depicted online. Sometimes adults find it hard to appreciate the simplest moments of joy because of their preoccupation with things they lack.

This is why I feel that the painter has preserved the beauty of innocence, happiness, and making the simplest things exciting. One becomes aware of how happy some of our memories are when we had nothing much to worry about when we become older.

In The Wait (1883), the atmosphere becomes completely different. A woman stands beside a lifeless young man, and her presence makes me think about how suddenly life can change.

Sometimes one prepares plans for tomorrow not knowing the fact that tomorrow may have its own surprise for you. I cannot help but think about people who cook food for their dear ones, expecting them to return back home; they are met with some very sad news.

I remember people who wait at the hospitals with hope that their medical report will be positive, and relatives of those who lie there and want to exchange themselves with them.

We live in the world when people rush up in order to fulfill their dreams and forget how wonderful normal day is. Maybe this is the message that the artist tries to convey to us.

The third picture – Antigone Before Polynices (1865) – conveys quite another idea. The idea of Antigone to honor her brother, even at the cost of punishment, provokes me to think about the family ties and some responsibilities that people often have.

In our modern society, there are a lot of people who experience tough times in deciding between satisfying other people and sticking to their beliefs, but the key thing here is to do what your heart tells you is right, believe I think that's the only way we can live a happy and just life. There are those who defend their families even if it may be difficult, while there are also those who challenge injustice despite its difficulty.

The commonality I find among these two paintings is that life does not only consist of our successes, our possessions, or even the number of years that we live on this planet.

Life is also measured through the memories that we make, the people whom we love, and our convictions that we will never leave behind. I believe these are the things that make our lives meaningful, even long after a particular moment has passed.

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I would like to invite;

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Cc; @solperez, @luisito01, @evagavilan, @genomil, & @joslud

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@ladyaryastark
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Thanks for reading this post!!!