Spanish for “Life is Good”

This bonita chiquita sells sea shells in front of her home in the jungle of Quintana Roo, Mexico. The Mayan people, indigenous to this region, are gentle people, small in stature, and generally speaking, not given to making a big deal of themselves.

I’ve been to this part of the world a number of times, as family had property there. My wife and I bought some shells from this girl and she agreed to a photo.

This young girl has everything she needs to be happy: a roof over her head, a pet dog, a clean, pretty dress, a good bucket to collect sea shells, and, inside her stick and thatch house, a hammock for a bed. She is well fed, has her hair combed nicely, and has a lovely smile. Life is good.

What she has never had is screen time, a ticket to a theme park, or a plane ride. She never had an electronic device. Her house doesn’t have electricity, running water or air conditioning.

This painting has a message about contentment. It is obvious that accumulating things does not bring happiness. It seems that having more stuff means that there will be more discontent.

To parents who wonder how to keep their children content, this painting has a message for you. The Mayan children play with their friends. They play using their imagination. They play with sticks and with stones. They play with their pets. Life is simple, but life is good.

Societies that have gained a lot of stuff – how much have we lost?

Regarding the price of the shells as shown on both the Spanish an English signs, I should note that this painting was started many years ago, before Mexico changed the value of the Peso. The painting went into storage for many years until I finished it in 2022. When I resumed the work on the piece, I felt like I was continuing after having a break of a week or two. I simply picked up where I had left off, and was glad I hadn’t lost the vision and inspiration.

This girl would be much older now. Perhaps she has a child of her own. I’d love to be able to show her this painting. I wonder how she’d feel about being a message about contentment to other people.

The original painting is available. Reproductions are available too. If you purchase this artwork, be sure to explain its meaning to your family.