The Departed...

©brokenimagery

    As I laid on my bed, two weeks and one day ago, I decided to take a photo of myself. My whole mind, body, and soul seemed to be as depleted as it had been in quite sometime...a reminder was needed for the weeks and months to come.

   Slowly, and then not so slowly, my life began to thrive again. The blood that seemed to stand still in my weak veins began to pump with life again, like a mighty river breaking through an old broken down damn. Portland is beautiful, dressed with wonderful faces, and warm hearts. However, for the first time in my life I realized something very important. I must go. Never before had I stayed put in one place. By my nature, I need to continue on, find new places, faces, love, and communities. I will walk back onto the ground of Portland, Oregon...however the feet that touch its body will not be the same ones that departed from it a couple weeks ago.

   Chapter two of my life has arrived, not degrading what the first chapter was, and all the funny and not so funny indexes, and prefaces that it had written. I was blessed in an odd kind of way with a tremendous struggle early on in life. That battle has taught me so much about who I am, the fighter that was engraved into my bones the day I was born. I am not defined by my past, others' perceptions, and my inability to always stay on track. 

   Before leaving Portland I was a wreck- and sadly not even a beautiful one. However, as I leave Boston today, as do I leave that part of me...chapter two is all about new beginnings and self love and respect.

   The lens that hugs my camera is the window to my soul, and I am going to share that, for deep down, I know, this is my destiny. There will be hardships, heartache, elation, and every single emotion fathomable in life along this journey- however I embrace it and just go along for the ride. 

So, here I go...or more importantly, here I 

come..

                            (July, 13th, 2010)