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"The cure for anything is salt water: Sweat, Tears, or the Sea." - Isak Dinesen
Lydia


Photograph Information Photographer's Comments
Challenge: Extended Free Study 2017-04 (Extended Editing)
Collection: Portfolio
Camera: Apple iPhone 7
Date: May 9, 2017
Date Uploaded: May 9, 2017

 So... I was on a cruise... and... Hubby texted me in a rare moment of cellphone coverage and asked if I could call him. He said that our kids were all fine.

That didn't sound good, if he was already reassuring me.

I called immediately.

He gently told me that our middle son's best friend (since they met from "day one")... had killed himself that morning.

There is nothing that can explain my..."being" then.

I was "stuck" on a cruise... separated from everyone I hold dear... until I got to the next port where I disembarked to go home and hold my son.

My friend was no longer able to hold her son.

I hauled my luggage behind me for about 3/4 of a mile (the port was not set up for disembarkation)... and while I hauled, I thought about the extra member of our family who was no longer here on Earth.

Listen to me, people: There is nothing so bad in your life... ever... that will be fixed by killing yourself.

Nothing.

Ever.

Don't do it. It will cause... at the very least... a ripple among the people you know... even the ones who don't love you... but especially the ones that do... that will not ever be overcome. Maybe it will lessen... but it will never be overcome.

But... back to my image.

There was a turtle and a stingray for children to climb upon in the airport where I waited to go home (Nassau, Bahamas).

I shot the turtle with my cell phone from several angles, then created the ocean from "scratch". (It's amazing all of the stuff we can learn from the folks who've been kind enough to share their knowledge on YouTube with "how to" videos!)


Please tell everyone you know that... killing yourself is a permanent action in response to a temporary problem.

I ache.

I ache for me... for my son... and for his "other family".




UnderwaterTurtles4498-4502-4499-4506rSFW
UnderwaterTurtles4498-4502-4499-7rSFW

Statistics
Place: 9 out of 63
Avg (all users): 6.3519
Avg (commenters): 9.0000
Avg (participants): 6.0571
Avg (non-participants): 6.8947
Views since voting: 626
Views during voting: 116
Votes: 54
Comments: 6
Favorites: 1 (view)

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AuthorThread
 06/10/2017 02:49:52 AM
Unfortunately, when people are in that mindstate, they are not thinking logically or rationally.

Hope you and your family are ok.

Amazing editing by the way. I wouldn't even know where to start!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 05/22/2017 07:03:20 PM
Such a beautiful image created after such a sad situation. My condolences Lydia.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 05/22/2017 05:01:21 AM
Wonderful job Lydia. This looks Disney-ish.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 Comments Made During the Challenge
05/21/2017 03:09:45 AM
By far the best in this EXTENDED challenge. Beautifully Done, love it. Bump!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 05/19/2017 07:09:29 AM
Not scoring if only because it's a great piece of graphic art that shows me nothing in terms of photography. Would give it a 1 because of that and the work put in doesn't deserve that.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 05/15/2017 06:02:03 PM
Lovely illustrative effect with great balance.
  Photographer found comment helpful.


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