Three kids caught at a moment of crossing paths. Their posture says a lot about how they're feeling. The boy, hand on hip and looking down, is unsure of how to interact with the two girls splashing by. After all, how do you meet a stranger? Most of us now understand that it takes a lot of practice to do it right. The small girl in the background, determined and confident marches, as if on a mission. The other, taller and bent slightly, follows hesitantly. Big hat and striped cover, her parents have her well protected. Does she have an interest in the boy? Is she hoping he might say something? This painting reminds me of my early youth, when strange new feelings suddenly blossomed out of no where. A burst of jealously for a pretty girl giving her attentions to another boy. Or, as in this painting, a gripping shyness under a circumstance that demands speaking before it's too late. "Nice day, isn't it? "Isn't the water great?" "Nice hat!" Everything sounds so lame, leaving silence to gulp in the waves. And later, at night in bed, thinking, "She was so pretty! Why didn't I say something? Anything!" I have to smile at these innocent kids, all dressed up for a sunny day at the beach. They have so far to go.
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