Acrylic on canvas, stretched and ready to hang.

Signed on the front.

The background and sides are accented with gold/bronze shimmery paint showing through.

Allow hope to take root in your soul.
Let your hope, not your hurts shape your future.
Only in the darkness can you see the stars.
Be like the tree and let the dead leaves drop.

THE OAK TREE
by Johnny Ray Ryder Jr.

A mighty wind blew night and day
It stole the oak tree’s leaves away
Then snapped its boughs and pulled its bark
Until the oak was tired and stark

But still the oak tree held its ground
While other trees fell all around
The weary wind gave up and spoke.
How can you still be standing Oak?

The oak tree said, I know that you
Can break each branch of mine in two
Carry every leaf away
Shake my limbs, and make me sway

But I have roots stretched in the earth
Growing stronger since my birth
You’ll never touch them, for you see
They are the deepest part of me

Until today, I wasn’t sure
Of just how much I could endure
But now I’ve found, with thanks to you
I’m stronger than I ever knew