Just a week before this moment, I found myself asking a close friend why so many women were sharing their tears online. I genuinely wondered what compels someone to snap a selfie during such a raw and exposed moment and broadcast it to the world. Was it merely a call for attention? Or maybe there was nothing else to do amidst their pain except grab their phone and hit that portrait mode? Now, I understand.
It seems that there’s no better image to convey difficult truths than one that shows honesty.
This was me just after discovering I would need a hysterectomy. If only my camera had been ready, you would have seen me on the day my partner’s heart stopped, or when my children were diagnosed with autism, or during the times I endured abuse, miscarriage, and other hardships. I might feel embarrassed about how I look here, but I certainly don’t feel ashamed of my emotions.
We often find it simpler to share our joyful moments rather than our struggles. In today’s fast-paced scrolling culture, witnessing others’ pain can be uncomfortable—it forces us to confront our own vulnerabilities. But I’ve always believed that silence breeds illness.
So here’s a glimpse of me at my lowest point, yet arguably at my most genuine. This image is for every woman who has sobbed in solitude over betrayal, stillbirth, sexual assault, or raising children with special needs. Yes, I’m grieving and sad in this moment, but that’s perfectly okay because I know I’m not alone.
We’ve all experienced moments of pain and helplessness. I know this to be true because navigating this broken world without feeling broken is impossible. Alongside the beauty, there will invariably be suffering. I believe the only way to truly endure is to begin revealing our authentic selves, both in our stories and our selfies.
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