If I Die young

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by Keto

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"If I die young
Bury me in satin
Lay me down on a bed of roses
Sink me in the river at dawn
Send me away with the words of a love song.

[...]

Gather up your tears
Keep em in your pocket
Save em for a time when you're really gonna need em.

- The Band Perry - "If I Die Young"
Listen to the song here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4ga_KFC26ZE

----------------

Similar to the song that inspired it, this picture is about life. This is also kind of a Thanksgiving 2010 picture.

If you're alive and breathing, you can't be doing all that bad in life. But once you're done, it'd be nice to be able to say you had a good one.

Everyone has different life values that they feel amount to what makes them happy. I measure a 'good life' with the people you you have in your life, first and foremost. I really believe that having people to love and people who love you, is the most valuable thing.

There's always a ton of crap that can muddle up life, but at the end of the day, I feel luckier than most everybody else to know that I have the people I have, by my side. I have a handful of acquaintences and friends who range from casual to close, similar to different, and old to new. There's people in my life, who I wouldn't trade for the world. I have people I can kiss and be kissed, hold and be held, feed and be fed, drift asleep with, and that all quite honestly kicks ass. So I think I'm doing pretty damn well when I look at what I've had and what I've got.

I've made no secret about how much [iconname]Daksir[/iconname] and

BrennMalko

mean to me in past years, and I'm lucky they've tolerated my mushy tail for as long as they have, and continue to do so as time goes on. They can grumpy grey-muzzles sometimes, or provide tough love sometimes, but it's never stopped me from feeling happy, loved, and protected leaning into their open arms. They're fathers to me, and I always want to try to make em happy, cause they deserve it. :)

Similar to Radjin and Kashra,

TiberiusRings

was quick to get to know me, enter my life, and hop right on to feeling comfortable enough to make fun of me. ;) Kashra is a bad influence! But in seriousness, I couldn't ask for a better mate who is always supportive, loving, and wants to see me smile as much as I want to see him smile right back at me. It's always been easy to be playful with him, romantic with, or nerd out with.

vason has been my gay-bar buddy lately, which is great for my outgoing side, when I just get that urge, but he's always been someone who can I could discuss or tell stories with. He can crack me up easily, while remaining approachable (And even if his twink-taste sucks).

sheppymilo instantly and has always felt like a friend I should've met back in middle school. He's always had that laid back vibe to him, and I could always count on him to be down for anything, and have my back. He makes it easy to just chill anywhere and anytime.

I've often told belicbear that there's a lot about him that i inspire to be like.

And so on. It's too hard to list unique qualities among everyone, because they've all shown me love, taught me things, etc. A lot of these qualities obviously apply to multiple people even if I don't mention them, and I obviously always try my best to treat everyone well. Just the same, it's really just too hard to list off everybody who means something to me. but all those people should know who they are. :)

If you don't really know me, you can feel at least some relief. Those closest to me can attest to having to deal with this kinda mushy shit from me all the time. ;p

I vaguely remember hearing a story from someone how their friend died before he got to tell him how he felt about him. I found it horribly sad. So I think that's why I'm mushy. I know life is unpredictable, and I want those I care about, to always know it and hear it.

This is a picture about life. If I died young, I'd have to say I did pretty damn well for myself considering who I've got. :)

So this is what I'm thankful for.

And no, this is no sign of potential harm to myself. It's a peaceful/happy picture, really. Besides, if I ever died before Kashra, Radjin, or Tiberius, they would probably find a way to revive me just long enough to kick my ass and kill me themselves. ;)

PS. I got to test out SAI on this picture, and it's a fun kickass program! :) I had to try it out for this little picture.

SAI + Photoshop + ArtRage

Keywords

wolf 191,072, canine 186,894, digital 34,966, husky 29,469, the 16,990, death 12,021, music 8,816, painting 8,565, paint 3,918, photoshop 1,996, sai 1,659, wusky 981, tool 692, band 603, coin 323, inspired 200, floral 138, perry 131, painter 115, dollar 97, artrage 59, meaning 30, keto 17

Details

Type: Picture/Pinup

Published: 13 years, 12 months ago

Rating: General

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dragonvee

13 years, 12 months ago

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I love that song. I hear it on the radio all the time.

Sunkra

13 years, 12 months ago

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The first reference I made when seeing the thumbnail to this picture and the larger side is to the movie I've recently seen, 3D animated with Jim Carrey in the Christmas Carol as Mr. Scrooge, stealing the coins from his dead partner's eyes in his coffin.

Of course on a closer look and reading your explanation, the deep emotive meaning of this piece are not wasted on me. People can find it difficult to believe that artwork so dark themed can yet be so relieving and full of hope and life. Love the ones you hold dear and make sure they know it, death isn't something you need to dread every day because you hopefully have so many good days to spend before that date will come.

As a person I haven't really experienced death to the ones near me, only once, but that was enough to make me realize that even though life can be tough at many times, there are many things to still hold on to.

As a writer, I feel I shouldn't post this elaborate reply, simply because it's no match for you poetic explanation but I'll do it anyway. :)
Have many happy days for you and the ones you love ahead of you!

DragonettiBrothers

13 years, 12 months ago

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B:

"	When you was born, you was crying and everybody else was smiling; smile through live, so everybody is going to cry when you leave.

G:

"	I don't want to achieve immortality through my work; I want to achieve immortality through not dying. I don't want to live on in the hearts of my countrymen; I want to live on in my apartment.