Facets

[vaneramos]

Marian in Kensington Market yesterday


Does anything else feel like watching one's children grow: that combination of pride and poignancy? I've heard there's nothing worse than losing a child. I almost lost them once, but now they're old enough that no one can come between us against our will. Maybe that makes it easier watching mortality transform them. A butterfly in the hand is only half beautiful; you have to let it fly to see its magic.

Marian stands on the threshold of adulthood. She tells me things that make me feel privileged. Seeing and listening to her is like watching my own life through a crystal: facets of similarity and of difference.

This afternoon on Queen Street, we practically walked into my lovely niece, Robyn. How does that happen, in a city of 2.5 million? She is working two part-time jobs on Queen Street now, but we didn't know that. Robyn and Marian both inherited my mother's beauty and way of drawing attention, although Marian is quieter about it.

In the car we listened to VNV Nation, Rufus Wainwright, Goldfrapp, Abba. She pointed to the full moon rising on her side, then we turned a corner and drove toward it for half an hour.

Comments

[ubermunkey.livejournal.com]

Such beauty,
absolutely breath taking Van

Love and Peace
Connor

[vaneramos.livejournal.com]

Thanks Connor. It does take my breath away sometimes.

Cheers,
Van

[ciddyguy.livejournal.com]

She is really learning to express herself, isn't she???

[vaneramos.livejournal.com]

Marian has had a determination about expressing herself since before she could talk! :-)

[zombietruckstop.livejournal.com]

I can't tell you how much I love reading your posts about your daughters and seeing the pictures! It's so impressive that you have raised two girls so confident in their self expression. You must be an amazing dad!

[vaneramos.livejournal.com]

I try, that's all I can say. :-)

[ghostsandrobots.livejournal.com]

She's beautiful, Van. Not that you didn't know that already, but.

[vaneramos.livejournal.com]

Thanks, the look in her eyes in the closeup leaves me spellbound.

[superbbluewren.livejournal.com]

It is fantastic to see one's children become young adults. I am so proud of my son and daughter, and so grateful for the privilege of fatherhood.

[vaneramos.livejournal.com]

It is indeed a privilege, and one of the defining facts of my life.

[queenmomcat.livejournal.com]

That top photo is ever so stylish, but I can't stop looking at the second one. Marian's sweet expression seems so at odds with the punky haircut and collar, but neither is at odds with her own personality.

[vaneramos.livejournal.com]

I'll admit that the goth punk exterior alarmed me at first, but over the past year I am impressed with the sweet and rather sensible person who is emerging. It's indeed an interesting contrast.

[rsc.livejournal.com]

Love the hat!

[vaneramos.livejournal.com]

Me too. We found it at the Stratford Festival.

[eloquentwthrage.livejournal.com]

Wow, she has the ear discs, yes? My friend myq13 has those. I can deal with tattoos and general piercings, but those sort of mods just give me the willies.

[vaneramos.livejournal.com]

My feelings about Marian's piercings, now there's a topice!

The funny thing is she told me on the weekend she won't ever get a tattoo because, "I change my mind so much." She would rather use henna.

Her multiple piercings used to give me the willies, too. Early on she did some careless things and had trouble with infections. Even now, she is using electrical tape to protect the large piercings (they're hollow, rather than discs), which is a no-no. She says she lost her teflon tape.

I'm not in a position to get tough, and Marian has received enough demeaning criticism from other quarters. It's my nature to worry about stuff like this, but instead I try to be the one she can talk to. It's easier to put aside anxiety about her earlobes if we're conversing about things like drugs, sex and relationships.

[eloquentwthrage.livejournal.com]

I know how supportive you are, and it means a lot, probably more than you'll realize for a long time.

[thewindrose.livejournal.com]

Marian is so photogenic. She has such an interesting beauty, especially combined with her punk style. It's really striking, and these photographs really show it.

[vaneramos.livejournal.com]

Thank you. Sometimes the camera captures nuances I don't see with my eyes.

[(Anonymous)]

beautiful.

....

i love rufus wainwright.

...

the last line is gorgeous.

.db.

[vaneramos.livejournal.com]

Thank you, d. I like that line, too. It was a beautiful half hour.