I look for you in all your favorite places, both near and far away. I look for you when I am happy, when I am sad, when I’m lonely. I look for you at every milestone, every accomplishment, every step forward. I look for you when your favorite song plays on the radio in the car or out in public. I look for you in a summer rain, the cool mist grazing across the warmth on my face. I look for you when I’m by the ocean, feeling the tide pull me in as I soak up the sun.  I look for you when I have questions that you only have the answers to. I look for you when I need comfort, a listening ear, wisdom, and courage. I look for you and you’re not there. I look for you when  even when I don’t mean to. Do you look for me wherever you may be? Do the ones that leave miss the ones who stay? I look for you when I look at my son and my daughter – seeing your eyes in theirs. I look for you when I look at me – would you be proud of what you see, who I am becoming, who I strive to be. Grief is the unexpressed love I wish I could give you, and the hope of never forgetting the time I had with you. I will always look for you, even if I may never know where you are. 

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About the Artist

Shelby Shields is a visual artist and art teacher based in Salt Lake City, Utah. Creating art, especially painting, for her is a mediation and way to sort through her thoughts and feelings about her life journey, deconstructing the religion she was brought up in, and the world around her. Shelby is drawn to contemporary realistic portraiture and uses oil paint as her medium in creating portraits. Focusing on broken color and layering various strokes, Shelby strives to capture the heart, soul, and expression of the individual she is painting. Her goal with her paintings is to share people’s stories and create honest and beautiful art that speaks more than words may be able to fully express.