First Look At Self-Portrait's Autumn Collection
It was a cheerful outlook. I went on to Perry and asked him what he had to say about it, and all he did was shrug his shoulders and keep on praying for an unusually long time. Perry liked to repeat liked that the only positive aspect of our prisoner-like existence was that he had the time to pray and invent prayers, and the latter was turning into a fixation. Each day he would think of new prayers, and all the time his voice was just a whisper in a great stillness that was an essential part of our imprisonment. His prayers were complex, incorporating war stories of optimism, resilience, and a second life outside of our present predicament.
The Sagoths, our stupid guards, started to get interested in the fact that he liked to let out voices all the time during our marches. These creatures whose eyes could not fathom anything and whose minds were terribly suspicious in thinking were seeing and interpreting Perry like this. Their talk went on for one day when at last one of them grew tired of what was around them and asked the other what he was muttering all this time—to whom. When he asked the question, an idea came in my mind and without waiting for the answer of Perry, I interrupted him.
‘He is taking us through the generation history of our people’, responded the lady, strongly attempting to mimic an authoritative tone. He shares with us the awkward narratives that we are a nation, the battles, and the victories; it empowers us and provides endurance in this incidence.
The Sagoth nodded, bobbing his head as if that was quite satisfactory and went back to the formation. Looking deep into Perry’s eyes for his reaction to my statement the man simply looked back at me, before returning to his strange vocalization. I could note the brief comprehension light up his gaze and I realized that our captors had not taken away our ability to communicate. It was this new strategy gave us the way to express the things we wanted and at the same time it was the small thing that we can do while we were completely helpless.
Weeks went by, the prayers of the girl became richer and more detailed; together with images of invincibility and struggle of our ancestors. Thus, while initially the Sagoths refused to pay much attention to Perry and his ceaseless chanting, they gradually developed a certain sort of respect. They seemed to know that the narratives can be powerful even if the actual meaning of the uttered phrases is beyond their comprehension.
A wise girl certainly knows what she cannot do, but she also hopes and plans for what she can. Aspirations should be high, but always remember to be grounded.
It was one evening rays of the setting sun painted everything in the needed colors of orange and purple, when Perry spoke of the most touching incident in his childhood. I recall it telling a story of a village and a tyrant who has been ruling over the villagers, and how the villagers were able to fight off the tyrant on their own through hard work. His sayings put images in the open sky and the people felt as if for a moment that they were not in hell.
‘As long as there is life, to those who seek it, there is always some hope even in the darkest of occasions’, thus Perry.
These are the words that whirled around in my head, bringing light and hope even in the middle of the night. It was not just the everyday struggle for mere existence that defined our mission; it was a fight for our souls, a purge of our essence and will to stay alive in the worst circumstances possible. Perry showed us that we are not alone and we beg for prayers and stories that can unite us while encouraging us to stay strong.
At moments oasis of wild flowers would appear from the desert, only to be left behind as soon as more extemporaneous structures loomed into sight. Bearing in mind, Perry’s faith was impeccable and I equally had the standing with him when it comes to believing that nothing could change the fact that we were going through this trial. I know that as long as we have our stories, we cannot lose.Little by little, every step forward in gaining the rights of patients and their families made me understand that we are winning.
Although our captors, the Sagoths, had before evidenced a great deal of indifference toward us; I think that now they sensed approaching their island an amount of trouble such as their former experience with other escaping humans may have taught them is better to avoid. Stopping in their tracks, heads cocked as if listening a little harder than usual; they seemed to almost comprehend. After the guys left my hallway, they gave us hope - a spark that somewhere in this unlikely world there existed friends.
Ultimately, however, our captivity was more than physical borders. It was a trial of willing, strength within our depths. We spent hours whispering in prayer, believing and sharing stories of hope... for every story we told each other; it was as if me & Perry made a pact to fight against all costs. While the Sagoths had our bodies, they could not quell out spirit, or which touched the stars as sure-footed were we upon mother earth. What followed was a story of resilience and perseverance that inspired the world.
Enjoying the view of summer
The summer in France is a very specific feeling that people are able to sense; It is, simply speaking, a mix of the vivid colors and the sweet fragrances. It seems to me like I have come to a fragrant place in the south of France because the smell of the flowers of the fruit trees creeps into the atmosphere created by the hot summer outflow winds and combines with the other fragrances in Provence. So there it is, the turquoise surface appears to be infinite due to which it performs like a magic mirror showing the old villages and the castles of the Gardians in the most romantic way. In the southern part, the Mediterranean coast shines under the sun attracting travelers who want to relax on its wide sandy beaches or swim in its crystal clear water. In the same manner summer Paris shifts to a unique phenomenon; full café bars and green public gardens offer a heaven from the high temperatures. The Seine sparkles while boats drift by and the street musicians make the urban landscape even more appealing with their music. It does not matter if one feels pleasure from a croissant at a café or investigating the countryside, summer in France proves to be a time of joy and adventure where every moment is a celebration of life.
