Skating On Thin Ice

After a traumatic event, how you see things changes. Quite literally.

When you survive domestic violence, you often aren't allowed this fact of life. Recognizing or acknowledging to others how you've been affected by the trauma(s) is a "luxury" you can't afford because the perceptions & projections -- along with observable deeds and actual words of other people already accuse you of not getting over things and moving on with your life. This leads you, a very fragile you who already is fearful of so many things -- including trusting yourself, to keep your mouth shut.

Which is why when this week, when I spotted the following vintage magazine cover art I stopped myself from saying what immediately sprang to my lips in the form of a blog post.

Instead of commenting on what I saw, what I felt, I skipped to posting about another item at the blog. (And then a few others, because that blog is awesome!)

But when the man behind the blog commented this:

it’s such a strange image, with the midnight blue background and the ominous black shadow beneath her, and how her figure is so rigid…it’s almost as if you can detect a tear track down her cheek; which I know wasn’t the intention of the artist intention. Very strange.

I felt justified in making my own brief comment. He saw what I saw. Sort of. So here is my original thought:

She looks like she's escaping domestic violence. By any means necessary.

But getting away is only the first part.