100 Day Project 2021

Tuesday, September 29, 2015

What Does The Word Mean - Part II

Five more words from the challenge to photograph the "the solace, nourishment and underlying meaning of everyday words" from David Wythe's book, Consolations

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BESIEGED

Each morning as soon as my eyes open, my mind and heart are besieged with grief from the loss of my mother and the overwhelming problems of caring for my father who has Alzheimer's. Each morning I have a choice. Do I follow this pathway of besiegement or do I take a different path? This morning I chose to smile. I chose to not begin my day with worries. I chose a different path, a fragile one, but I chose to look for joys and to be content.

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CONFESSION

As a Christian confession has a significant meaning in my life. Through confession I find healing and joy. Confessing is asking for forgiveness and forgiveness leads to inner peace. 

"Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much."  ~ James 5:16



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COURAGE

Whyte says courage is " to stay close to the way we are made." It takes courage for me to do that. To overcome the need to compare, to overcome self criticism. Only when I have the courage to be myself, to I feel real joy.

"The highest courage is to dare to appear to be what one is."
~ John Lancaster Spalding



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CRISIS


a tree in crisis
surrounded and smothered 
by creeping ivy
it's branches weakened and dying

my life in crisis
surrounded and smothered
by a crucial event
my life weakened by 
depression
anger
guilt

or my life strengthened by
trust
acceptance
forgiveness

the choice is mine



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DENIAL

she placed her pain behind a wall of denial
she could not acknowledge it
it might destroy her
she needed 
time to process
slowly she began to accept
slowly she let the wall crumble
she began to heal



* * * * *
Photographing my thoughts on certain words has challenged me like nothing has in a long time. Each Friday I read the next chapter in Wythe's  book and think, this is it, I'll never be able to come up with a photograph for this one. Usually it's about Wednesday of the next week before the inspiration begins to creep in and by Friday I'm ready for the new chapter. If you're interested in how I interpreted the first five words in Wythe's book, you can find the post here.


20 comments:

  1. Cathy, I'm always amazed by your creativity paring words and photos. I begin to see things in a new way, too.

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  2. This is beautiful and this book sounds like such a wonderful challenge!

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  3. These are so well done. You have find what you needed right now.

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  4. I like the photos connected with the five words. These words take on a new life. I am so glad you are enjoying this project.

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  5. It HAS been very challenging to me too - but I am really enjoying the way it makes me think.

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  6. Yes, Cathy, I agree that David Whyte's words from his book "Consolations" are very challenging and also revealing. Like you, I feel I will never find an image to express my words, but finally one appears!
    You have done a very good job both here and within our group. I have to say that I've never encountered so many negative feeling words in one single book and each one of us is interpreting them in our different ways according to who we are in this moment.

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  7. Thank you. For your Words, Photos and thoughts.

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  8. A wonderful marriage of words and photographs. I would find this assignment very challenging but you have certainly done a great job. It sounds like a great book.

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  9. What a wonderful series Cathy, your heartfelt words and images are awesomeness to no end. You have a beautiful gift and soul I can tell with problems of everyday life and not all good, but you have chosen to look beyond. Keeping you in my thoughts as you go though the day to day struggles, may you have continued peace in your life through photography.

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  10. These seem like difficult and painful words - negative words, as someone commented above. Your strength and faith shines through your own words, your interpretation and reframing, and your lovely photos.

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  11. it is not easy to smile during adversity but it is possible, you have been through a lot!!! these were difficult words, your images represent them well!!!!

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  12. You are doing an amazing job with these. I like seeing how you interpret the words through your photographs.

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  13. Beautiful and meaningful interpretations of the words, Cathy! Your courage and strength shines through these images. I, too, feel very challenged by David Wythe's words. Reading other peoples interpretations has given me new insights.Thank you for sharing yours.

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  14. I've heard there's now a remedy/cure for Alzheimer's. At least they're more advanced now on how to reverse it.
    You're good with words that just a few sentence could stir so much emotions. Maybe because you're honest. :)

    Have a wonderful weekend still.

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  15. I'm so sorry that you are going through rough times, I can relate with a parent with dementia...my Dad is in the middle of a fight with it...it's debilitating, and it takes from everyone who is near him...it's a horrible disease.

    I love the way you dug deeply to find inspiration in the prompts and managed to convey the meaning with your photography, which is beautiful by the way.

    Jen

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  16. I'm so sorry that you are going through rough times, I can relate with a parent with dementia...my Dad is in the middle of a fight with it...it's debilitating, and it takes from everyone who is near him...it's a horrible disease.

    I love the way you dug deeply to find inspiration in the prompts and managed to convey the meaning with your photography, which is beautiful by the way.

    Jen

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  17. How brave of you to take on this challenge - to dig deep into your own emotions and your recent pain at your mother's passing and illustrate that with your photography.

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  18. What a fantastic challenge and I love what you've come up with. These images are beautiful.

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