imagine Santa

This guy is about the same size as a three year old child. One day an alterations customer came over with her little girl. I stood Santa in front of her, but she hid behind her mother. Dolls aren't supposed to look like that and be that big, apparently. So I sat him down on a chair with a couple of other more traditional dolls, and gave her a smaller one to play with. After awhile she started to approach Santa, and by the time her mother and I were done with the fitting, she had Santa on the floor and was actually resting in his lap. 

diagnosis

Sometimes I do other things besides ride my bike and take pictures. Like this time. This is a soft sculpture done in fabric. If standing, she’d be about a foot tall. 

The courage to heal.
She has no name. Yet. I began her creation to represent an emotion from being diagnosed with breast cancer. 

Pain. 

I worked on her during the recent election, and also during the time we cared for our beloved aunt as she weakened and died. 

Pain.
As I worked on her, my thoughts focused on the boundaries between personal and communal pain, 

especially during this time of the disrespect shown to women. 

That awareness moved outward to include all sorts of pain felt by all sorts of people.
She is on her buckled knees, but she is not down. 

One day she will embrace the pain, rise, and heal.

Having walked that path, her healing will be shared with all.
Healing requires courage.

inner courage

breast cancer meditation #1

Remembering breast cancer...