After an anti-racist class I helped with, one of the participants gave me some African print fabric. I asked her if there was something I could give her in return. She thought for a moment and said, “Maybe a little sketch.” I asked what sort of sketch she had in mind. She said, “Hands Holding Hands, Holding Hands.”

    I thought about it for a bit, and an image came to mind. I saw children holding hands in a circle with the map of the US behind them. It looked similar to other drawings and paintings I had seen. I decided to wait until something a bit different “arrived.”        

    Once again, in the middle of the night I saw it. I saw all kinds and colors of hands holding hands. The reaching out of elongated, intertwining arms, suggested the distance and desire sometimes required to reach each other.

    I drew the sketch and decided to turn it into a painting.  I added the butterflies to show the happiness and beauty of the feeling when hands embrace.    

    Ironically, the Presidential election came and went while I painted. I thought, what an apropos time for us to hold each other’s hands in Unity, to strengthen our bonds with one another in Love, and to continue our pursuit of Equality for all. 

    It takes a while for the butterflies to emerge from their cocoons. But when they do, they are ready for flight.