things are not always as they seem

I was struck recently by a statistic that I read within an article announcing Al and Tipper Gore's splitting up. The so-called experts were weighing in on the split as well as siting the statistics of success and failure for (presumably) straight, married couples. Of course, the "facts" were measured by the factoid that the Gore's were high school sweethearts and were married like, forever. Or about thirty or forty years. Can't remember and doesn't matter to make my point anyway. The statistic that was most shocking was that married couples that each partner has been married previously: odds of success: 10%. That's a 90% chance of failure by married couples that each come from divorce.

A painting that I worked on today is really a commentary about things not being what they seem. The thought that comes to mind first is when, after my son Noah died, how people wrongly assume that since I "looked like I was doing just fine" that things were fine. The truth is that I don't wear sweat pants, sneakers and old t-shirts. I always dress in presentable attire and I always put on lipstick. That's just me. I was dying inside and looked just great. Painful isn't it? But it certainly wouldn't have helped me feel good about myself to look like what was really going on. And would have been frightening to everyone around me.
We're all going through private and sometimes secret moments of some part of our lives. The Gore's are a perfect example of that.
"But she looked like she was doing just fine" oil on canvas, 44"x44"