Still, In Motion

Photo taken by contributor Craig A. Miller, a 37-year-old author, speaker, photographer, and suicide attempt survivor from Boston. For many years he struggled with OCD, extreme anxiety, depression, and suicidal thoughts. After a suicide attempt nearly ended his life at age 20, he became dedicated to understanding what led him to such a decision, and more importantly how he could gain control of himself and his life to ensure it would never happen again. He published a book in 2012 titled, This is How it Feels: a memoir of attempting suicide and finding life. He is a member of The Massachusetts Coalition for Suicide Prevention and regularly speaks everywhere from libraries to state conferences sharing his story and the steps he took to move forward.

About this photo: “This was one of the first  photos I took when I acknowledged that I was well enough to tell the story of my suicide attempt and the battle I believe I won over my mental health issues. It is two photos combined. One in motion and another still. For me, it represents the achievement of overcoming my struggles. Slowing down and being still is one of the most important things for me to do in order to remain balanced. Though I am doing well these days, my mind still moves very quickly as does my life. It is critical for me to take the time to stop when I need to. On days like this, I take my camera and my laptop, I sometimes spin a pen in front of me and whichever direction it points, is the direction I drive. I never know my destination until I get there, and when I do, I don’t know if I will sit and write or if I will choose to photograph it. I just do whatever feels right, and in recent years, I usually do both.“

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