In my mid 50’s, due to the generosity of relatives (symbolized by the ‘inherited’ jewelry chest) and my own hard work and determination in building my art career (the slow, steady turtle and fruiting orange tree), I suddenly found myself with a modest investment portfolio. The novelist Tom Robbins once wrote, “there is a certain Buddhistic calm that comes from having money in the bank”. And while true, I also discovered something unexpected. Under that calm was a new worry – a new possession to protect. Market collapses, real estate downturns, global plagues… how do they effect my bottom line? A good problem to have, for sure. Yet I created this somber self-portrait as a reminder to stay on track (as represented by the compass) in not making life choices out of fear of what I might lose. But always, always choosing the path of joy as my ultimate guide.