Wrapped Emotions

"Wrapped Emotions" is doing another emotion provoking post idea.
She Writes...
No, we are not going to meet up for group plastic surgery. Although in a couple of years you can give me a call and we'll talk about it.

We are going to get more comfortable with ourselves. We are going to get to know our own face, appreciate it, recognize it and love it. Whoa, get back here! Don't run away from this prompt screaming "Nooooo!!!" I'm in it with you and my face has seen better years.

Hold your camera at arm's length and shoot a photo of your face. Oh hush up, yes, get that close. Don't expect it to look good, unless you're twenty years old it will probably look horrible. But we're all here together. Just face it, this is what everyone is looking at so breath deeply and take it.

Upload the photo to your computer and with whatever photo editing software you are using de-saturate it, convert it to black and white. Lighten the image if necessary, make sure the image isn't too dark. Print a copy. Oh horrors! I know.

Now take your pencil and trace over it...over and over and over. Every feature, every curve and line...trace over it. This is you.

After working with your printed image, scan it into your computer and upload it into your Wrapped Emotions' post. Be sure to paste it into you art journal. Talk about the emotions experienced while doing this. Work at accepting and loving your face. Talk about the experience. Above all remember, if you cannot love yourself, how will others love you? How will you love others without self-love?

I like my soul. This is a strange thing to do. I am reminded of all the root canals and how my teeth look prettier than I imagine them. I Have dressed up before as a clown, the lines by my eyes look so much like a cheerful clown . I don't believe I am in disguise I just choose the focus to joy. I miss my eyes behind these thick glasses all the time. My eye brows get hidden too. I think I am aging well. I am 46. I see so many happy years. I see the tole of time, but it is the good times that have seamed to left a deeper indent. I am so glad of that. Dare you guys to do this...:) The imprint of the life and times hard is a pained worn resolve to find joy in life and focus on the love.
My face is full and I wonder if it will be different after I loose 40 pounds. I think that I look a little Grandma like now. My one eye is squinting hard to focus. I look truly happy inside. Yet one who has known grief and healing of it.The halves of my face look congruent to me. I never noticed my nose is swollen still on one side.
I feel content and grateful. I don't look so tired anymore, now that I let go of home schooling. I do really look healthier not being so haggard.
Beloved said I look both happy and in pain in the altered image.
Wow that made me touch it, the pain. I think he is right. (it made me feel sad he said that). I suppose that is me always keeping a strong foot up from the sorrow that could just grab me and twist this beautiful life into the despair off all I have witnessed in this world. I do grieve to the core really. I just walk it like a process till the day I go home to God.
I am sad to see the years fly so fast when we still could of gained so many opportunities. My eyes are dim now yet they still glow. My children young and I look a bit old. I am happy and not a painted face but a life of choice. I can not denied the pain deep within me over the losses of this life time known. Oh! but it is the joy of all I hold dear that humors this tired heart.