Self Portrait Challenge #1: An introduction
Posted on | May 2, 2006 |
Kath created a brilliant new Self Portrait Challenge Site, and in honor of it’s creation she has challenged us to ‘introduce ourselves.’
Before I knew you…
there were several ill advised months as a red-head,
an adolescence in love with the surf;
whole days spent in the my bike saddle
following the black ribbon of road
up to Canada, or later, along the crumbling edge
of northern California, with the pacific right below us.
we stayed out late, and sleep late;
could make love any time;
skip breakfast entirely,
do nothing all day Saturday.
and later, there was the everyday collision
of wonderment and exhaustion,
my love spread out across the need of so many
hungry little hearts with not enough attention at home,
teaching words, and poems, and numbers and kindness.
and there were afternoons tossing a frisbee,
or playing chess, or walking with our lanky English Shepherd
who’d roll on command and was afraid of the water.
then you, making a space in my belly and then in my heart
and now I know you
and I am different in a hundred ways.
Comments
24 Responses to “Self Portrait Challenge #1: An introduction”
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May 2nd, 2006 @ 1:58 pm
That is so sweet… And your pictures are all beautiful!
May 2nd, 2006 @ 2:01 pm
oh what a beautiful post…
May 2nd, 2006 @ 2:16 pm
lovely, esp. the wee baby bean photo.
May 2nd, 2006 @ 2:25 pm
oh yes, i can relate!
May 2nd, 2006 @ 2:30 pm
This is great. I think it is awesome that you have reflected on your life in a way that is meaningful for you and yet such a gift for your son at the same time.
May 2nd, 2006 @ 2:40 pm
oh christina — what a great interpretation of an ‘introduction’. i wish i knew more about my mom before she had kids.
May 2nd, 2006 @ 3:08 pm
Just wanted to say christina-you inspire to write better. I so enjoy your blog.
May 2nd, 2006 @ 3:29 pm
I also (like Jillian) would have loved to know more about my Mom before she had me….print this off and keep it….or burn it or something…Bean will love this post one day.
May 2nd, 2006 @ 3:52 pm
Very pretty. How do you get the photos to tile like that? Are you doing it with Photoshop? I like it! What’s your dog’s name? He (?) looks really cute too!
May 2nd, 2006 @ 4:00 pm
Beautiful. Every bit of it. And I don’t think the red-headedness was ill-advised! Au contraire!
May 2nd, 2006 @ 5:58 pm
Very beautiful - I like how you put it all together.
May 2nd, 2006 @ 6:23 pm
Oh Christina, what a beautiful post. You gave me chills. You capture that sense of two worlds so perfectly and make me feel the love of both.
And I too often long to know what my mom was like before I knew her. The photos I have seen, she’s so different. I want my girls to know that bit of me (if possible).
Thank you for sharing this.
May 2nd, 2006 @ 8:02 pm
perfect spc.
perfect and beautiful.
kudos.
May 2nd, 2006 @ 10:40 pm
Red hair can never be wrong.
This was perfect, Christina. I especially love the picture of you with the kids…
May 2nd, 2006 @ 10:53 pm
oh simply beautiful! i love your sentiments and those photos are wonderful! thank you for sharing.
May 3rd, 2006 @ 12:26 am
That was a sweet and tender synopsis! Thank you for the introduction. I love the photo with your students! I wish I had thought to snapshot that part of my life, long ago.
…as well as the time as a couple, before children!
May 3rd, 2006 @ 1:11 am
Wow. That was so amazing and inspiring….I loved it. THat has to be one of my faves of yours.
My link has changed: www.troll-baby.com. My own domain baby! Woo hoo!
May 3rd, 2006 @ 2:02 am
Love the collage of photos! I can completely relate to the before & after baby story. It’s an amazing journey!
May 3rd, 2006 @ 9:01 am
Great photo collage and great bits:)
May 3rd, 2006 @ 9:21 am
this is beautiful christina! i read it through three times with a grin on my face - such a perfect introduction and a beautiful set of photos. ** I spent a few ill advised months as a red head too
May 3rd, 2006 @ 11:21 am
What a beautiful look into your life past and present. Thanks for sharing!
May 3rd, 2006 @ 10:56 pm
Fabulous.
May 5th, 2006 @ 4:34 pm
beautiful!!
May 8th, 2006 @ 12:18 pm
gorgeous post and pictures.
you are so elle~naturelle beautiful.
i miss my northern california. your bike ride sounded glorious.
your words were like poetry. just wonderful.