I Love You To The Moon and Back

On July 31, 2015 we had the rare phenomena of a “blue moon”. Every now and then (about every 2 to 3 years) a full moon appears more than once in a month and apparently during one of these appearances there was some atmospheric dust particles that caused the moon to look bluish at that time. Because of this, the occurrence of having a full moon appear more than once in a month, took on the title of “a blue moon.” And so although a moon isn’t really blue each time it appears more than once in a month, the title stuck. Perhaps this is where we get the saying:  “Once in a blue moon”?

A few days before the appearance of the “blue moon”, my husband and I were taking our nightly walk and he pointed to the moon and explained this phenomena. I had never heard of it. On this night the moon already appeared to be full – and it was gorgeous! While we walked and talked I started thinking of a picture I wanted to paint in relation to the moon. This painting is the result.

Unlike things happening “once in a blue moon” my husband often told our children while they were growing up: “I love you to the moon and back…twice.” And so, although I was inspired to paint this during the phenomena of a “blue moon,” it is actually a painting depicting this verbal exchange between my husband and our children.

We have 3 daughters and 1 son. Although my husband spoke these words to our son as well, I painted it depicting him with one of our daughters and in my mind it definitely depicted all three girls. I ended up posting this picture on Instagram and so our daughters, now grown and married and living miles away, saw it for the first time. Their comments reflect the reaction I had just depicted. It was as if they were just told by their dad: “I love you to the moon and back…twice” and had reached out and given their dad a great big hug!!

The youngest daughter called me and said she wanted a print of this – as large as I can make it! Our oldest daughter sent a reply on Instagram and wrote: “Oh that is so cute! I want a framed copy in my stocking this year…just saying hint hint!” Our middle daughter said: “I love this one!! I want a framed copy too. Because the little girl is me, right? Don’t answer that question…I know it’s me:)”

Of course it is of her!! It’s of my oldest and youngest daughter too…it just depends on who I am talking to when she claims it’s a painting of her!!

I recently read an article by David A. Bednar called: More Diligent and Concerned at Home. In this article he said:

We can begin to become more diligent and concerned at home by telling the people we love that we love them. Such expressions do not need to be flowery or lengthy. We simply should sincerely and frequently express love….

…[W]hen was the last time you took your eternal companion in your arms and said, ‘I love you’? Parents, when was the last time you sincerely expressed love to your children? Children, when was the last time you told your parents that you love them?…

We should remember that saying “I love you” is only a beginning. We need to say it, we need to mean it, and most importantly we need consistently to show it. We need to both express and demonstrate love.

A BIG thank you and a big hug to my family – for always saying and showing their love!!