How many times have I felt like this? That could be Moy Moy: peacefully asleep in my arms, oblivious to all, secure in the knowledge that Mom is there, that Mom has everything under control and I am safe. And that could be me: pensive, overwhelmed, all-too-aware of how little I actually have any control whatever over and how powerless I am in my desperate desire to protect my child.
Being the parent of a child with a disability is a tightrope walk - we are constantly calculating wind velocity, tensile strength and the distance from point A to point B. We never stop plotting. Our babies lie sweetly in our arms while our minds race through the next set of hurdles to be negotiated for them. We love their simple, trusting faith even as we curse the labyrinth we have to guide them through. Not fair! We shout inside our heads. Not fair!
Muir Adams took this picture. His teachers told him that when photographing for voluntary organisations, it's important to capture both need and hope. He got it right with this one. The need is all too clearly etched on that Mom's anxious, beautiful face. But the hope shines forth from her baby's peaceful repose: I've got my mother, he says. What more do I need?
1 comment:
I agree - this photo captures all of those emotions. A simple photo that says so much...
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