80 - FINISHING THE UNFINISHED

FINISHING THEUNFINISHED

14 ⅛ x 10 ⅞ inches

(Interior of barn)

Sometimes we need to go back and “finish the unfinished.” More than thirty years after we graduated from high school, having gone our separate ways, a high school sweetheart and I rekindled our connection. One day we drove back to our farms to retrace our rural backgrounds. We shared stories of our childhood days and talked through regrets.

During those special months together, we sorted through long-held fantasies that had been left unfulfilled because of choices we had made when our relationship wisdom had not matured. Although we came from similar backgrounds, in time, I realized we were not meant to be together. The angst of “what ifs” finally drifted away.

When things are left unfinished, we romanticize the past, holding on to idealistic memories. Until things are resolved, regrets can skew one’s vision of the present. Keeping secrets of the heart hurts everyone involved; one needs to stay true to the integrity and honesty of their spirit. Finishing the unfinished allows one to move on and fully share his or her heart with someone else.