Monday, August 2, 2010

Love is Blind - Digital Collage



















Well, I don't mean to be a downer, but this topic really resonated with me and kind of hit a nerve.  I was going to do a more uplifting piece, but each time I sat down to create something, my sister and her past kept coming back to me.

Love truly can be blind as my littlest sister proved to us.
She was in a 8+ year on again off again relationship with an older man, who time and time again disappointed all of us and led her down an incredibly destructive path.

 To make a SUPER LOOOONG story as short as I can, we had to deal with her and her addiction to alcohol, marijuana, which eventually led to meth....her rapid weight loss and then weight gain, abortions, depression, and eventually learned of the emotional and occasional physical abuse.

8 years.  8 very long very hard extremely difficult years.

I begged, pleaded, was bossy, hard on her, sympathetic, turned my back...you name it, we all did it - but me being the oldest and the one she looked up to, I was the hardest on her.  Tough love.  My mom couldn't do it - someone had to.

After 8 years of having screaming matches with her, the occasional physical assaults by her, the on again off again relationship between those two, we finally managed to wedge a big enough crack in their destructive spiral downhill that we convinced her to get into 30 day internal rehab. 

Those 30 days saved her life.  Had she not gone and been on lockdown for those 30 days, forced to complete the program and receive treatment, detox, and therapy so that she could see the poison she allowed in her life...well, I have no doubt she would not be alive today.

I'm SO happy that she has been clean and sober for the last few years.  She's had a couple of hiccups where she's slipped, but THANK GOD for the new man in her life.  Not only does he NOT do drugs or drink, but doesn't approve if she does.  He also treats her like the beautiful queen she is and has shown her time and again how she SHOULD be treated.

She has waivered, everyone certainly has their faults, but a final phone call about her ex finally made her wake up and see him for the loser that he is, which naturally made her love for her new honey that much sweeter.

So, while love is blind, it can also be painful.

Created for The Three Muses challenge.

Modified Sources:
Background, chain, heart and weight are from Holliewood Studios @ Deviant Scrap
Face is from Lisa's Altered Art
Chain is from Natalie @ Scrapbook Graphics
Blindfold is from SJD @ Scrapbook Graphics


16 comments:

  1. Leila,
    What a great symbolic piece. Thank you for sharing it and stuggles your sister has faced. I pray for her to continue to be strong and to believe in herself. And to be thankful for a sister that cares so much for her, to stand by her side through all of those struggles.
    Debbie

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  2. oh wow Leila!!!! this is gorgeous!!! what a neat piece....

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  3. Hello, Leila. Thank you for sharing such a personal part of your life. I know how hard it is to see a loved one take a path like that. You have your sister back and we have this wonderful piece of art because of what she went through. Take care and keep on creating.

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  4. I am incredibly touched by your story and by your art, Leila. Thank you for sharing both with us. We are honored.

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  5. Such a powerful piece, Leila! Thanks for sharing!

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  6. A wonderful piece of art with a very deep meaning.
    Thank you for sharing her story and I am so glad she has put all that behind her.xx

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  7. Wow, Leila, I was deeply touched by your story, thank for sharing & so pleased your sister has come through it all! Your entry is such a powerful incredible piece which illustrates your word so well!

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  8. A very beautifl,powerful and heart-felt piece, Leila. I'm glad your sister is coming out the other side.

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  9. What a meaningful piece of art from the heart.

    Such a very long time to be struggling but how wonderful to have come from the dark and into the light.

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  10. Leila, I'm sad that I stirred up such emotions, but glad you felt able to share this burden with your fellow artists, and because it has a happy ending for your family. Last but not least, I have to applaud you on this most outstandingly beautiful interpretation of your emotions. Bravo Leila.

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  11. Taluula - Don't be sad, by any means, this is part of what art is for. Each of our personal growth and journeys. I sometimes use art as my cheap therapy, like in this instance, creating the image helped me think on the topic and sort out some lingering emotions. For that, I thank you for this challenge and promise my next one will be happy!

    Missy K - It was 8 years on and off...for whatever reason, the ex was bad juju. She didn't see it as struggling, she felt she was living her life the way she wanted and didn't see how it was a spiral downhill. The 30 days of intense therapy helped her pin point an event in her life that changed the path she was on. Unfortunately for the worse. Once she realized that, dealt with her buried emotions, started making amends to those she hurt, she was able to change paths and start changing the way she lived. Some people just have to wade through the horrible to get to the good, she's finally happy and in a better place mentally, and in the end, that's really what counts. We've forgiven her and have moved on to encourage her on whatever positive path she chooses. She's currently moved in with her new boyfriend, learning to be an adult, finishing school, and trying to get in to nursing. ...and I'm behind her 100% on that life path. :-)

    Thank you everyone for your beautiful comments, and thank you Three Muses for continuing to give us challenges that have us think and really push the envelope in so many ways. The struggle with my sister was hard on all of us, but I'm so proud of the adult she's become. :-)

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  12. The journey was a difficult one for you, your sister and family but what a triumph it must have been to see your sister emerge from years of living on the edge to be able to face a new and wonderful future. I'm sure she appreciates a sister who never gave up on her. This has been a great, great story and an inspiration to all who read it.
    Leila, thankyou so much for sharing your story with us. Your artpiece is moving and exquisite and the best you have ever done.

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  13. Hi, Leila. Thank you so much for sharing with us this moving story. I'm so happy your sister is in a much better path and that you were able to transform this painful part of your life in a beautiful piece of art.

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  14. Leila...all I can say is WOW... I'm sure alot of us can relate to this story. So glad to know your sister has moved on and still allowed love to knock at her door. So many of us become bitter and refuse attention, but thank goodness she has family around her to lift her up and encourage to move on. Beautiful work :)

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  15. Leila, Hi, I wanted to thank you for stopping by my blog for a visit. I checked out your blog and shared the love and became a follower. I hope you can come back to my blog and become a follower.
    http://deesdesignsfrommyheart.blogspot.com
    www.facebook.com/designsfrommyheart
    www.designsfrommyheart.etsy.com
    designsfrommyheart@ymail.com

    Thanks and have a great weekend.

    Denise

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Thank you so much for your comment!

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