2006 ...

The very first picture: The black and white one, head leaning on hand and no smile ... actually I was not feeling well that day ... the pic was a fluke really, I was just playing around with that i mac book "Sassy" that I have come to love. She visits my home when I need her ... she has saw me through the roughest times during 2006 showing me myself when I was not really looking. I saw art and creativity and then at times I saw a woman in process...

2nd picture: "The journalist" a new found way of taking pictures "in cartoon" as I happily embraced the fact that I would not have to write daily with zero creativity to go with my words ...
3rd picture: Wow, I can do black and white photos close up and take all of the little flaws out ..tee hee..my little secret!
4th and 5th Picture .... green with grief and in sepia sadness I did travail. Funny that I took all of these pictures essentially by myself ... I felt alone as well. This season was so painful that I cringe when I look back .. those days are still doing a work in me. I stand more patient and confident than ever now and I have a compassion for people I have never had before ... this is good. There are many other internal strengths that this pain birthed in me... like I said there is still a work cultivating inside of my soul.
6th picture: A FAVORITE ... "the" black and white shot with the brainiac glasses on my face. Mind you ... I had zero makeup on (purposely) and came up with this the scholar if you will. I love this picture as it symbolizes the beautiful mind at work wrapped in creativity and "smarts." I never think about Bella's being beautiful' in Italian because it is not my native tongue, it just does not resonate. As I continued my painful grieving, journaling and picture documentation, I began to see beauty all around this whole season I was going through.

7th picture: Well I did not intend to have this be the seventh picture. I started to write as I'm watching the slide show, I was going to write about prayer ... the number seven reminds me of God. Does it surprise me that this just happened ... no and I do not mean to be mystical about this ... I do not have to be really, I just continue to document as I have been and strive to be as "real" as possible.
8th and last picture: I am re-creating my life in many ways, taking the shadows of an invisible disorder and showing the dance to everyone in the most creative of ways that I can come up with. This mid-life diagnoses story is not over ... it has left me speechless in many ways, but I could not and would not stop expressing. As soon as the words come I will share them. Stay tuned because the "winds" have changed my mind for a season I have yet to unveil (with Gods Grace and help) of course shall this be done ... I never work and walk in this life alone, even when I feel the opposite.
"He" has given me a beautiful mind and I am very thankful~