This handwritten journal entry came about when I discovered why I’d been so triggered lately. About a year ago I got dreadlocks, then I discovered its not as easy a hair style at I thought it would be. I have to twist and re-twist as well as sit under my GE tabletop dryer to speed the take of the lock. Doing this reminded me of all the times my mother took me to the hair dresser. I wish I could say it was a pleasant memory but it wasn’t. In order to deal with the triggers I drew a picture of me sitting under the dryer. I did this WHILE I was under the dryer which means I was drawing myself drying my hair.
One of the things about the picture is that the dryer is shown as pink. It’s not. It’s a tabletop GE Dryer in white like the photo shows.
I drew myself with large sunflowers looming over me. There’s a house and trees under my feet. My cat is beside me, clasped in my hands is the Bible. In the story the name of the child was left out. I never put a name in. I just left the child blank. The story reads as follows:
Once upon a time in a mind not so far way there lived a little girl named…….
…. lived in a safe place in the mind. She slept in the pink room with a pink wing back chair.
Sometimes ….. wanted to look outside but her room had no windows. On long days and nights she’d get lonely. She longed for a friend or even a sister to play with and sing songs. But she had no friends, no sister. And her ears were closed to sound and her lips sealed with silence.
written and drawn 11-12-11 @ 11:33pm EST
Simple things like drying your hair can bring back memories and it can help create art. After I finished the piece I laughed. I know the big sunflowers over me are like baggage, guilt, anxiety…..guilt. I know the house under my feet is symbolic but being able to look at this piece and see playful colors actually helps manage the memories. Drawing a flashback has helped me on more than one occasion, this is one such occasion.
fma
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