My first New Year's Eve without you.
Always, you pushed me. Always, you challenged me. Always you believed in me.
I stayed at work later today because I wanted to finish coloring. How cool is that? I have this opportunity because of you. I'm creating an inspirational coloring book based on our stained glass mosaics and philosophies we shared.
I miss creating without you. Today I worked on the cover and I felt you with me as I picked colors that honored your memory. We liked the same colors and had a similar esthetic. When I was stuck I would ask your opinion and together we would brainstorm. Sometimes we debated. We each would have a strong idea of what should be done. Sometimes I won those debates and sometimes you did. I liked what we created together.
You would often dig in on a project while I was still planning. You relied on me for the details in the pictures and this worked well when the muscles in your hands weakened.
I remember cutting the outline for wine bottle and glass. You used a hammer to break the other pieces.
The stained glass mosaic broke while you were still alive but I didn't get around to fixing it until after you passed. I used the glass from the mosaic we created together (I used a different camera and the second picture was taken at a different time of day so the colors look different).
Your style was a little more free formed than mine. It wasn't until I finished that I realized I changed the picture in subtle ways. I shaped the grapes in a bunch, turned the glass base around, and grouped the different shades of blue together.
I miss creating with you. I will be interested in seeing how my art develops.
I received a letter from your cousin today.
He described you as "a profoundly decent man and he will be missed by all."
Yes, my life is better because of you.