Eternity is part of my healing journey. I started showing up for sunrise at the Atlantic Ocean to paint on the beach. The golden hour is a magic time — all sorts of people show up to meditate on the rising sun.

This day was very special.

Painting en Plein air at the golden hour is a challenge. The light changes quickly, and people love to observe and comment. I tried to catch three people sitting by the shore on this beautiful morning. A man came up to talk while I tried to catch the color of the rising sun. He told me that his niece and nephew had lost their father yesterday. They had traveled from Columbia and came to watch the sunrise on a new part of their lives — the part without their father.

He asked me if the painting was for sale, then told me their story. Of course, it is for sale, but it is not finished. I took the same canvas to the Florida Everglades to paint the sunset on the rest of the horizon. I did go home and paint just the brother and sister on the beach — their cathedral.

Genius loci is the spirit of a place. I feel a pull towards the ocean in the early morning and evening. People are quiet and respect the intense beauty of the ocean. Those of us who sail know how the power of the ocean’s beauty beacons you.

The sunset and sunrise on the Everglades are equally awe-inspiring. Sawgrass catches the shimmering light. Cloud formations over the heated water never disappoint. The new place to relax after a crazy day is on a lawn chair, watching nature’s light performance along with the snakes, alligators, birds, and mosquitoes.

I chose the long, narrow canvas to accentuate the horizon. A horizontal standard line that contains both water bodies and sky clouds. I am blessed to have the experience of painting nature’s cathedral.