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: “They won’t tell you fairytales
of how girls can be dangerous and still win.

They will only tell you stories
where girls are sweet and kind
and reject all sin.

I guess to them
it’s a terrifying thought,
a red riding hood
who knew exactly
what she was doing
when she invited the wild in.

Nikita Gill (Still on my break from work. Doing ok. Processing. Thank you for the love.)”

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