Object Drawing #1
Object Drawing #2
This is a journal that was given to me as a graduation and parting gift from my camp counselor who mentored me through many years of camp. In it she wrote this letter along with some quotes, lyrics, and bible verses she thought might help me face the challenges ahead of me. Despite not being religious, I found it incredibly touching to see all the thought and love she put into this journal for me. Since, I have turned to it as means of comfort and reassurance several times. This picture was taken by myself at my desk where I keep the journal.
This handwritten letter, found amongst Ludwig Beethoven’s personal papers after his death, was written to his “Immortal Beloved.” The letter, 10 pages long, talks of his love for the unnamed recipient and the challenges of being apart from them. Source;http://www.lettersofnote.com/2011/06/immortal-beloved.html
These are letters from 2 of my close friends that were written and given to me as a part of a religious weekend retreat. I’ve held onto them for a couple years because they remind me of the love that surrounds me even on days where I feel completely alone. One of my newly made friends, Wilder, held these letters up for me to take this picture.
This was a love letter written to me from my first love and first heartbreak. I never fell for someone as hard as her and haven’t since, despite that what we had was inevitably going to fall apart from the beginning. It still hurts me to think about her, and hence I have not read this letter in years, even not now as I’m posting this. I no longer have the original, as an old ex insisted on burning it. I did however find these photos and somehow, some part of me still can’t bring myself to delete them.
This note, titled “Letter From Birmingham Jail” was written by Martin Luther KIng Jr from prison after he was detained for peaceful protest. It has since become a significant piece of literature in the civil rights movement. The letter discusses the urgent need for nonviolence protest and additionally justifies it biblically. Source;https://www.samford.edu/news/2017/07/Samfords-Copy-of-Letter-from-Birmingham-Jaill-Used-for-Documentary
These notes are from my brother, mom, and friend Jon. Each of them were written as a part of a “spiritual weekend” where close friends and family surprised me with letters of recognition and love. While all of them writing me were given the same prompt, the resulting letters range drastically in how emotionally involved they are. However, my brother’s goofy letter that mentions amish people hitting their kids with bibles, holds just as much sentimental value to me as my mothers heartfelt lengthy letter of love, and Jon’s pittiful drawing of the “sad pepe” meme. I took this picture myself on the desk where I keep the sentimental photos and notes I brought with me to college.
Object Study #4, the note from my first love, is likely to have the most influence on my object’s development for my avatar because the story behind it deals with finding the strength to forgive and the power of forgiveness.
Self Portrait #1
Self Portrait #2
My object, a letter written to me from my dad, symbolizes the growth of my relationship with him and applies to others because it demonstrates the importance of owning up to your mistakes and forgiving those who wrong you. At one point, my relationship and trust in him was very broken because of some decisions he made that hurt my family. I held onto a lot of anger for years because of this and our relationship continued to deteriorate as time went on; he continued to make poor decisions and I refused to sympathize or strive to fix things. After some time and lots of reflection, I realized harboring this negativity was hurting myself more than it was him, and that if I reached out to him instead, the relationship wasn’t doomed. Fast forward a few years, I received this letter from him that spoke of nothing but love and admiration for me and even thanks for encouraging him to overcome his mistakes. It was that letter that put the growth and strengthening of our relationship in perspective to me because reading it, I knew he now was a more than a dad to me but a role model, a support system, and a best friend. Looking back on where our relationship shifted, it started with taking responsibility, apologizing, and forgiveness on both our parts. Forgiveness has continually proven itself to be one of the most powerful things I possess because it can bring peace, even when someone isn’t sorry. My avatar’s mission is to overcome hurt and hate and to bring peace through forgiveness, understanding, and love. The poem, How To Be A Person by Shane Koyczan, illustrates this concept perfectly with these lines; “3. Apologize, you will not always be right, you will not always be wrong, you will hopefully always be learning, atonement is a sacrifice of pride, explanation of why you did what you did or said what you said will not vindicate you, if the cost to heal someone is only your pride, then apologize and be grateful that you received peace at such a bargain.
4. Forgive, realize that some are still learning, if forgiveness is not possible then think of everything you have ever wanted to be forgiven for but weren’t, hold that uneasiness in your mind until you feel your desire for absolution becoming a wish, realize you can grant this wish for others”
