Photo taken by contributor Carrie Hilgert, a photographer, painter, and healer from Northeast Kansas. Carrie is on an evolving journey. In her past, she was affected by chronic physical and mental illnesses, including depression. Photography, especially self-portraiture, was a tool that helped her throughout those challenging times, and allowed her to process her dark feelings. Carrie believes that her experiences with mental illness were a catalyst for her to discover her creative and spiritual gifts. She is now on a positive journey of wonder and change, using those gifts to help others.

About this photo: “Underneath the sadness is a stillness and a new acceptance of myself. My soft belly and my strange face. Melting into what I am.

Letting my heart speak without fear. Because I can be nothing and it’s ok. For a moment, there is only me in this universe.

I am only words on this page. Breath. Atoms. Energy crashing against itself. What are your thoughts to me? What are you but a mirror?

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