She was artistic as a student, br sweet-natured, imaginative, not br overly ambitious; a good catch br for him, the fellow student with br the drive, the ambition, the great br family connections. br br They married young; she did br what so many girl art students br have done: gave him all her br intelligent support, bore and raised br his children; and in the few brief moments br that she was granted for herself, took out br her student paintbox, and while the kettle boiled, br sat at the kitchen table, and beyond the view of washing-up br part painted that familiar view – br a jug of garden flowers on the kitchen window-sill.. br br and when he left her for br another strong woman who, however, br sculpted the cutting-edge new abstract thing br she brought up his children by herself br br and when they left the nest, and she, now older, br had more time to give to paint, br she returned - as so many artists do – br to that motif, for them an eternal reminder br of that moment when the exalted mind br sees, beyond the kitchen sink, br a glimpse of that great heavenly view br beyond the garden flowers, where br she could walk into that paradise br that eternally awaits br the sweet-tempered heart..