The Goodbye: A Painting of Love and Loss

At our Centre, we are continually moved by the ways people find to express their grief, their love, and their memories. Grief often takes shape not only in words, but in art, colours, and symbols that hold deep meaning. We are honoured to share a painting and reflection from community member Barb Barron, who created The Goodbye in memory of her beloved wife, Chris Holman. Through her art and in her own words, Barb captures both the depth of their bond and the profound journey of love and loss.

"The Goodbye"

"This painting is titled "The Goodbye." My wife passed away on May 30, 2021. The night of her heart attack was May 26, 2021, during a super flower blood moon, which is depicted in the center of the painting, providing light and guiding the way. We enjoyed a lot of backwoods camping together, and I always referred to her as my "Bear" because she was fierce and always kept me safe. She called me "Mouse," mostly due to how I sleep with my hands on top of the blankets. I cherished that name; it felt special to me.

She worked with dogs in various capacities throughout her 71 years. The colourful sky represents the entrance to the Rainbow Bridge, where I imagine she is now, reunited with all her four-legged friends. The tree that the mouse stands on was once a home, a safe nesting place. However, on May 26, it was struck by lightning, leaving no safe nesting place anymore. The bear is walking through fields toward the forest that she loved so much, surrounded by sad poppies and wildflowers, which symbolize how wild and free she was.

Even though I never got to speak to her after May 26, in the painting, the bear looks back at the mouse, saying, "I know you're strong, you'll be OK, see you later", just as I know she would have if she could. And I would have said, "I love you!"

Goodbye, R.I.P. Chris Holman."

We are deeply grateful to Barb for entrusting us with this personal glimpse of her grief and her love story with Chris. Her painting reminds us that while grief is deeply individual, its expressions can ripple outward and touch the hearts of many.

If you, too, have found creative ways to honour a loved one, through art, writing, music, or other expressions, we welcome you to share them with our community. Together, we can hold space for each other’s stories and keep our loved ones’ memories alive.