Grateful

Grateful

This painting was born on a night that felt like a divine gift—when I witnessed a rainbow encircling the moon above the ocean. It was one of those moments that transcends explanation, where the sky itself seems to speak. I stood by the sea with a heart overflowing with gratitude, because earlier that same day I had lived through one of the most difficult experiences of my life.

While working as a nanny in Nosara, I was involved in an accident with a young girl. The following days were filled with uncertainty, fear, and deep anguish. For fifteen days, I carried the unbearable weight of not knowing if she would be okay. It was a time that shook me to my core—a time of prayers, tears, and surrender. When I finally learned that she was safe, something inside me shifted forever. Gratitude flooded every part of my being.

That night, under the moon wrapped in a rainbow, I felt a direct connection with God unlike anything I had ever experienced before. In that moment, I felt heard—my cries, my pleas, my repentance. And within that silence, there was also clarity. A quiet but undeniable message that resonated deeply within me: “Vicky, you are not meant to be a nanny. You are a painter. I created you this way from the beginning. You must honor your gifts.”

This painting carries that revelation.

At its center, the glowing moon represents divine light—constant, unwavering, even in the darkest moments. The rainbow that embraces it becomes a symbol of promise, of life after the storm, of hope painted in color. Each brushstroke holds the echo of that gratitude: for protection, for mercy, for the beauty of creation, and for the certainty that we are never alone.

The word Grateful flows across the piece as both a declaration and a prayer.

This work also marks a turning point in my relationship with children. Those who know me understand how deeply I love them—I am naturally drawn to their energy, their honesty, and their light. They have always been a source of inspiration, often reflecting back to me the belief I sometimes struggled to hold for myself. However, this experience brought me a deeper clarity: I am not meant to care for children in that role—unless they are my own. Instead, my place is to connect with them through creativity, to teach, to share, to play, and to inspire. In many ways, they continue to guide and protect me, just as much as I guide them.

“Grateful” is not just a painting. It is a testimony. A moment where fear transformed into faith, where uncertainty became clarity, and where I chose to fully embrace my path as an artist.

It is an invitation to pause, to reflect, and to recognize the quiet miracles that surround us every day—and to remember that everything, truly, is grace.