Find an old photo of yourself and tear it in half. Next, put the two pieces back together but not perfectly. That way, you should see a rough tear down the middle. This helps create visual character to the image. Glue these pieces down to a piece of paper, in your notebook perhaps. Cover slightly one side with paint or random bits of paper (i.e. collage).  Now write 2-3 words on this image to describe yourself – or, more to the point, this version of yourself. Choose words for the left and right side of the portrait.

I purposely avoided this prompt. It came and went…and I finally made time to work on it this morning. It was hard because a) I really do NOT like photos of myself b) I had to go looking for a photo of myself. Turned out to be easier than I thought. I grabbed the first bunch of loose photos I could find, and this photo was there. Waiting for me? I think so. c) I feel like photos do captured tiny bits of our souls…and if we have changed over time photographs are one way to SHOW this…I know I’ve changed, but I have also always been the same. Such is the duality of me. My two-ness. Also, I’m a Gemini and I know my twin lives in me all of the time.

This photo is significant to me now because it also captures a ‘me’ before kids. I can see the freedom (not that I don’t feel free as a mother. It’s just different.) of that in my nakedness, in the comfort of my body wrapped around the guitar, in the whist-full, wish-full, soft patience in my eyes. Also, my hair! It’s very straight and getting long.

I have a vague recollection of taking this photo at our apartment on Hanna Street in Windsor. We were in the dining room. ‘We’ was me and my girl Linda. I don’t know what prompted us to take the photos? Maybe I took some of her as well? Ah, how memory fades and shades.

The Wicket from Word Well was ‘two’.

What an interesting prompt…Thanks Rebecca!

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