"Snapdragon"- by dkeil + memories of Dr. Scott Keil

"Ah, the snapdragon...." by dkeil
-Pen, ink, marker, pastel on paper- 11x14  2010

  Winter is a beautiful time, but hard to live with, and it is definitely still winter here in New Joisey. Glazed-over ice has its white blanket spread around town and forest, the cold wind whips through the branches and even through heavy winter clothes. Despite the cold, however, there is an intensity to the sun again. The hardest part of the winter is past us now. Over the past few days, I awoke to the distinctive sounds of cardinal calls in the backyard. This, my friends, is great news. The days of summer are again in the foreseeable future. In anticipation for the warmth to come, here is a mixed-media work I completed recently:

My dad used to plant snapdragons so that he could pick the flowers and make them talk by gently squeezing the middle. As the flower's "mouth" moved, he'd make some ridiculous commentary and get a laugh out of us. The personification of flowers is not usually something that comes naturally, that's why the ease of which a snapdragon bloom speaks is so endearing. 

For the botanist and inquisitive mind, snapdragons belong to the Antirrhinum genus, which is derived from the Greek words for "like," "nose," and "of (or pertaining to)" so literally the genus name means "like a nose."

Since my father, Scott Keil, was an ear, nose, and throat surgeon (otorhinolaryngologist) and a gardener (among everything else it seems) he probably knew that little fact when he planted his favorite deep-red snapdragons in the perennial bed next to where he parked his car. Incidentally, it was also next to the raspberry patch, two things that probably brought him great satisfaction when returning home after a long day of caring for people's dire medical needs.

I miss him. He died in a terrible accident years ago. It was late at night; he was hit by a car while riding his bicycle home from his office on the other side of town. People have tried to blame it on the the fact he wasn't wearing a helmet- but when you're stuck underneath a car and dragged for a bit, it's hard to come out alive. Maybe he shouldn't have been riding a bike late at night, maybe he should have worn a reflective vest. Sure, circumstances could have been different, but neither of those reasons are valid in assessing blame. We as people take many risks in our day-to-day routine of daily life; He was always in control- he had the steadiness of a surgeon- but not at that last moment. That is a sobering thought. What legacy would I leave behind if I died today? It's been a thought that has governed a lot of my decisions in the eleven years since his death. Our life can be snuffed out in an unexpected instant. His pain was quick, ours has been long-lasting.

  The fact remains that an accident is becoming a tragedy for a family somewhere on this planet at this very moment. It's been a story told to an exhausting degree in the history of mankind. Death for mankind is an enemy, an enemy that has brought a lot of suffering into my life as well as the lives of  people all throughout history. No one is immune; but I do believe that its damage will eventually be undone. The Bible says that "there is going to be a resurrection of both the righteous and the unrighteous" (Acts 24:15). It also says that those who have died have been acquitted of their sin" (Romans 6:7),  and that "the wage of sin is death "(Romans 5:23), and "as for the dead, they are conscious of nothing at all" (Ecclesiastes 9:5), and "as the last enemy, death will be brought to nothing" (1 Corinthians 15:26), so I am confident in a few things with regard to these scriptures: 

     1.  The Creator of the universe can remember his personality and bring him back to life in due time.

     2. Since he has been "acquitted," in a legal sense- when he is brought back it's with a clean slate- with life  in view, not for judgment.

     3. Since he's conscious of nothing, he doesn't even know he's dead, can't think, doesn't exist- except in God's memory- which is very refreshing; because I know Jehovah will remember him. I can see him again  someday, if I keep my integrity in these difficult days.

     4. Death for mankind is a enemy, unnatural. It is not what God wanted or purposed, it has occurred as a consequence of disobedience. However, eventually things will all be resolved in a way that those who wish to be obedient to God (even those who have already died) will be extended a gift of unending life. Then death from imperfection, as an enemy, will no longer influence our lives or threaten them. THAT is good news.  

Between now and then, snapdragons are a reminder to me of what an exceptional man my father was, and this piece helps me reflect on the past appreciatively and look toward the future hopefully. Leave a comment, let me know what you think. If you knew Scott Keil, leave a memory. I know he helped a lot of people, and every once in a while I encounter someone with a heartwarming tale. I look forward to yours. Thanks. -Doug

Visit me and "like" my facebook page to stay up to date with new paintings!

back to my blog homepage