Transparent Reality - The Photo Essay Contest

           Transparent Reality - Prepared for the Photo Essay Contest

(Reposted to insure photos were restored.)

There is much to be said about what I call Transparent Reality, but we will only address one segment defining it as "transparent youth". The following seven teenagers have more in common than just their youth. They are children without permanent roots...they live in foster homes. There the similarities end because like all of us, each is unique.

Respecting their anonymity, we will give them names of endearment and talk a bit about each of them without divulging their "story". These children are not avoided nor neglected by society...more so, to an extent, they are transparent to society. Each photo reflects something "known" about the individual or, as the case may be, the "known unknown".

Meet "Hope"!
Hope is a "child forever more". Today at 17 she has the mentality of a preschooler...but that's where the deficit ends. Being near Hope is like being in the warm, bright, caressing sunlight. She loves to work with colors...from sorting loops for making potholders to creating with brush on canvas. Her story would make the strongest weep...her smile...the weakest strong

Say Hello to "Purity"

At 13, Purity is wise beyond her years. Her way of validating her existence is with her hands. Creating, as with this tie dyed t-shirt, she finds recognition of "her being" in the praise of others. A joy to be around, much can be learned from her wisdom. Wisdom gained from her short but yet long life...wisdom gained from pain.

A big "Howdy" to Miss Stubborn Love 
 Miss Stubborn Love has a wall built so tall and so wide that there seems to be no getting around it. However, spend a little time with her and you'll find the sun forcing itself from behind the clouds. When the time is right, Miss Stubborn can love and share with a heart so giving, one wonders if it's the same person.

Reflecting Tenderness will lighten your load ! 

Not only strong physically, but always there to ease the pain. Many a rugged road has Tenderness been down and each struggle has only served to make her not only stronger but like meat in a grinder, she gets more and more tender. Those who know her well, thrive in her strength.

Greetings from the Rock

Capturing items of beauty, whether with camera or brush to canvas, the Rock is willing to share her lifetime of pain and rejection with whomever needs it. If you've never had anyone to tell your troubles too...well you do now!

Please say Hello to the sister team of Love and Caring

Proving that blood is most emphatically thicker than water, these two sisters' relationship suffers living in separate foster homes. They do everything in their power to stay close. Though this does not preclude sibling rivalry, knowing that they are all each other has, they work hard at getting along.

This concludes our walk with the children of Transparent Reality. Hopefully the experience has shed more light on these children. Unfortunately there are more of them than I ever imagined.

FYI, I met these girls last weekend when my daughter and I along with other counselors that she works with took them on a camping trip. It was an experience I'll never forget.