PHOTOS AND TEXT BY EDDIE G.
Wrinkles and scars, thinning hair, missing teeth, and fungus under the nails; none of these things are considered an attribute of beauty. Like a bamboo log that has traveled a vast distance at the mercy of the sea, not knowing what the weather will be like the next day, or what it will encounter along the way. If it floats long enough, it will show signs of its journey and evidence of its endurance.
As we age, we show signs of wear and tear on the outside, but we are also empowered by knowledge, wisdom, empathy, love, passion, and so many other beautiful attributes on the inside. We influence our surrounding environment by the course of our actions. Whether good or bad, it is up to us, but not always.
Sometimes the scars are visible to the naked eye, and too often they are emotional in nature, buried deep, where there is no light.
The dark skies, rough weather and storms of life cause us to forget who we are, where we are and where we are heading; we become lost in anger, fear, frustration, dissolution and retribution. We are taken away by the waves of tribulation and the tides of anxiety.
But guess what? We are still floating! The good news is that when times are tough, and the trials of this life are tearing us apart on the inside, we can still tread water. We can lay back in an attempt to relax, and rest on the True Water that sustains us and keeps us afloat. We can be sure that at some point or another, we will be washed up on the shore and given rest. But the journey is not over, the tide will rise again...