As I was walking around in our local museum’s exhibit of photographers’ self-portraits, a flustered woman asked if I had a pen she could use. She said she had trouble remembering things and needed to write a name down. As she tried to remember what she wanted to write, she was frustrated with herself and told me she had had brain surgery.

“After the surgery, I couldn’t read, I couldn’t talk”

“I was a surgeon”

“I used to be a tri-athelete, now I’m overweight”

I told her I thought she was doing pretty well, considering all she had been through. I said I thought she should keep getting better, keep going. She looked up from her writing and smiled a little. She thanked me for the use of the pen and then said “I should keep you around the house all the time” as she walked away.

I haven’t had brain surgery, but I understand the real and imagined pain of what was and what is now.
It may be a good idea to show your self-portrait to someone else every now and then.

November 18, 2009 :: Self-Portrait As I was walking around in our local museum’s exhibit of photographers’ self-portraits, a flustered woman asked if I had a pen she could use. She said she had trouble remembering things and needed to write a name down. As she tried to remember what she wanted to write, she was frustrated with [...]