Still Life

As a busy parent, I often forget to sit upon the floor and play toys for a moment.  Sometimes after two or three meetings in one day, I will be racing home to pick up my little six year-old Isaac from his extended day program.  He will smile at me with joy when I enter the room, he will race into my arms and say that he loves me.

And I will take a breath. 

I will slow down and as we leave the facility. We will stop to smell the peonies, and rejoice in the moment.  At this moment there is sunlight and joy, beauty and flowers, and life stills.

We are making a picture in time created by two beautiful souls, one entwining the other creating a masterpiece.

Each day this drama is retold as countless parents and countless children march upon their paths of life.  Often these paths will diverge, but sometimes gloriously they come together.

This is the jacket story of Leela.  She is Lygeia Ricciardi’s daughter seven year-old daughter.  Many times throughout the year Leela will attend HIT (health information technology) meetings as a painting on her mother’s back.  She is one of two beautiful children on Lygeia’s jacket painting: “Rosetta Stone.”  Lygeia is the Director of Consumer Engagement in the Office of the National Coordinator of Health Information Technology. 

On June 4^th Leela officially joined The Walking Gallery with her masterpiece: “Fruit is Healthy.”

Leela painted this on her very own jacket for the entire world to see.  She walked bravely and proudly in a crowd of adults.  She is one of three children who have joined the gallery by painting on their own jackets.  

Her jacket is joyful.  It represents what healthcare should be.  It is colorful healthy choices.  It is moment in time.  It is a still life.  This moment is so bright.  Lygeia and Leela stand side by side each encouraging healthy food choices, by the breast or by the bowl.

And for moment in our race to improve care, life stills.

Welcome to The Walking Gallery Leela.