Support

Support

sup·port

1. a thing that bears the weight of something or keeps it upright.

2. a source of comfort or encouragement.

Support is from the Stroke of Emotions Series I created in 2017.

Can you see the fear in my eyes? In this image I am afraid but experiencing my first feeling of comfort.

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Supported by the hands of family and friends, I begin to feel that I am not alone to face my challenges.

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The roses are a sign of life's beauty, but not without thorny challenges.

Support is a two way street. When you're going through a crisis, you may be lucky enough to have friends or family, or maybe members of a group you belong to, who will pitch in and help you out without you asking.

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I had a friend drop off some healthy, home made, single serving foods just after my husband had a stroke. It was wonderful to come home after a long day at the hospital and be able to pop something into the microwave that I knew was healthy. I didn't have to give any thought to what to have, or put any effort into making anything. Let's face it, at that stage I probably either wouldn't have bothered or would have grabbed some fast food. Neither options would be a good choice. Her thoughtfulness was truly a gift during a desperate time.

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I also had a couple of friends that insisted on me joining them for a couple of hours of "away time". Away from the hospital. Away from my problems. Just joining them for a quick walk at the beach (one of my happy places) worked wonders for my spirit.

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But support is a two way street. Many people said to me "if there's anything I can do, just let me know".

I think it's important to realize that some people are not able to ask for help. If you know someone who is in a crisis, don't leave it up to them to ask for you to help in some way.

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Just do something, anything, to show you care.

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About Stroke of Emotions:
In an effort to deal with my worry and feelings of helplessness after my husband had a major stroke in 2017, I turned to my hobby of photography. I took self portraits and created composited images using my photographic library to help define and illustrate my feelings. From devastation through rejuvenation, it is a story of a healing journey that I hope will help others going through a difficult time.

The complete story of Stroke of Emotions is available in book format. To view and/or purchase online click on this link.