THE ART OF SEEING YOURSELF

Mirrors can be our own worst enemy, especially for me. Unless you know my story or are looking closely at my lips, you wouldn’t be able to see the extensive damage my lips hold, and that's just the physical side. That being said, the emotional side runs way deeper and it’s something I struggle with daily, and I’m often reminded of that whenever I see my lips.

Emotional wounds or emotional trauma are all those emotions, feelings, thoughts, and behaviors that come from painful moments in our life. We become prisoners of them.

Mirrors can evoke strong feelings in us - and they can also be incredibly powerful tools for changing our perspective and seeing parts of ourselves that are usually hidden as we look out into the world. We are constantly projecting parts of ourselves, and since we can't see our own shadows, our relationships show us who we are. Our desire to be seen and reflected is basic and innate. As children, we learn to understand ourselves through the reflections of those around us. These are the moments that give you joy, that make you smile, laugh, and cry.

Memories and photos are great ways to reflect back on your life, but nothing could possibly outdo these moments through the best lens of all - your eyes. "Reminiscing those moments you fail are not the end they are periods in which you recollect thoughts, ideas and ambitions, and change direction." - Benjamin Chapin

"But perhaps that is why vampires remain alive (alive as dead beings, that is); they can’t even catch glimpses of themselves in mirrors, so they really must rely on knowing who they are as a person and not on who they are on the outside. I’m sure the idea that who we are in our minds varies greatly from the image of who we are, in a mirror or photograph, is quite accurate for a majority of us, unfortunately."

We humans do indeed have souls so we can see ourselves in the mirror and in photographs. These moments captured, though, won’t do us justice, it's how you perceive yourself that matters.

That’s why I love this photo so much, something changed when I was looking at my reflection through the lens of the camera. During that moment I actually saw myself for the first time, in a long time. I felt free. I am free.

-Regina <3