Ending 2010 Where We Began: Van Gogh & Daddy

We are quickly approaching the end of 2010. This year was not kind to our family.  Many of you know this. 

Despite the tragedy of varying types, there were brighter days throughout the year. And so it is to our benefit to focus on those beautiful days and moments with which we are blessed. We cannot allow our personal tragedies to blind us to the beauty that surrounds us. Those moments and memories help us to overcome life's difficulties.  

And so I end this year with a positive attitude.

Keeping positivity in mind, it bears mentioning that in life sometimes the tragic and the beautiful intertwine as they do in Shakespearean plays.

Getting to Know Vincent van Gogh

Tonight as I considered my year gone by, I found that Vincent van Gogh stands out in my mind. 

We spent the first 3 months of the year studying this man, his life and his art. Without a doubt, the most memorable study of 2010 was our study of Vincent van Gogh. Never could I have predicted that this study would grow to have such meaning to our family. 

When we began the study, I didn't like van Gogh's artwork. During the course of  the study, something changed. Through books and stories, games and websites, we grew to have a "connection" with Vincent van Gogh. 

He became a real person to us. Mr. van Gogh suffered from bipolar disorder. His tragic death touched the hearts of my children. They pitied this man they never knew.

Studying van Gogh's paintings brought art into their world in a way that I never imagined. The children learned the lyrics to "Vincent" by Don McLean. We even visited the planetarium with their father, where we studied the starry night sky. We were sad to see this study end. We knew we would miss our friend, Vincent. 

As it turns out, we will never leave his story behind. He is forever a part of our family.

Vincent van Gogh Becomes a Part of Our Family

A few months later, my daughters' father died. That night, Lorelai, who had just turned 7, said through sobs and tears, "Daddy and van Gogh were the same."

"Daddy and van Gogh were the same."

You see, there is something I've never mentioned here on this blog about his death. Their father suffered from bipolar disorder. In the early morning hours of July 3, 2010, he died from suicide. This was just one day before Alexis' 12th birthday.

And now you can see why the most meaningful of our studies this year - and possibly for the rest of their homeschool lives - was that particular artist study. My daughters may never relate to any past artist the way they have personally related to Vincent van Gogh.

And so the year ends in December with thoughts of where we started in January: With thoughts of tragedy and beauty intertwined. We have with us memories of  "Sunflowers"; "Bank of the Oise at Auvers"; studying the stars; the beautiful swirls of "Starry Night" and, of course....

Vincent and Daddy.

And when no hope was left in sight

On that starry, starry night

You took your life, as lovers often do

But I could've told you....

This world was never meant for

One as beautiful as you