Dr. Robert Canas
6.11.13

You never know whom you may meet at any given moment. At a small, midweek premier of our first installment of the “Embrace” series, we struck up a conversation with a very unassuming elder gentleman. He told us that he is 96 years old and is still practicing medicine as a family small town doctor in Durand, Michigan. He also mentioned that he was a self-taught amateur painter. After spending a day with him we can honestly say that he is more than just a “painter.” He is a true artist.

Dr. Robert Canas told us that according to his father that we all are given a candle the day that we are born. Some burn for an hour and others may burn for 100 years. All that we can do is make the most of the time that we have and enjoy life, and possibly more importantly to give back. Leave a positive image of who you were in your lifetime. When the candle extinguishes so does our life.

He shared how his faith lets him believe that when we leave the mortal world that we are immortal and live on in the hearts and stories of our loved ones. Our soul goes to “paradise” if we were good people. He began to paint what his vision of heaven looks like. The artistic genius turned a blank canvas into what can be best described as a "work of poetry".

Accompanied by his loving wife of nearly 50 years, Dr. Canas has truly lived a happy life.  They have raised a large family, he has been a doctor for over 70 years, and he has always made time for his passion of painting and sculpting. “It has had its ups and downs like anyone else, “ he said, “but it has been a great life.”