Beauty Within - a photo on Flickriver

Beauty Within

            Photography: Frank Sartori
Hair & Makeup: Mish Bratsos
Modelling & Retouching: Kelly Kooper

I've learnt a lot about people's true colours over the last 3 years. Some of it was very positive. You often hear about sibling's relationships struggling when a Will is involved. People lie and backstab without a second thought to the people they should love the most in the world. Not us. My brothers and I had each other's backs from the start and it never changed. I thought that we would but then people started getting into my head and I wondered for a split second if I should have been more concerned. I didn't need to worry. We looked out for each other, like we always had. And in the midst of the worst pain of our lives, I'm so incredibly grateful for that.

On the other side, we saw my Dad's partner's true colours repeatedly over the last 3 years. I wonder now if we sensed them when they first got together 27 years ago. Or if we just didn't like how much everything changed once she was around. 

As a teenager, I saw a desperately needy woman who wore inappropriate outfits to my parent-teacher nights (that she was very definitely NOT welcome to - at least not from my side). I saw a woman who kept trying to make conversation with me about her s#x life whenever I had the misfortune of being alone with her. (I 'think' it was her way of bonding with me but then again, who knows why stupid people think the way they do). And I saw a woman who bitched about my mum in front of us a total of 3 times, which I'm fully aware isn't a lot - but I promise you that a kid never forgets when someone badmouths one of their parents. Nor do they ever forgive it. 

There's so much more. Some I legally can't talk about. But it all amounts to the same thing. Our dad had met a loser. And like it or not, we were stuck with her until he came to his senses.

I'm almost the same age now as he was when he met her back then. I'm also living alone. But unlike him, I haven't gone through a messy divorce and I won't pretend to understand the pain and hurt that would have caused him. I know I don't fully get it. It's possibly why he was more vulnerable to not seeing who she really was. He was lonely, he wanted a partner and she was unfortunately there. 

When I think back on some of the many games she played over the years (and especially this year), I realise nothing ever changed. The signs (her 'true colours') were there from the start. Dad was blinded by lust and loneliness. Such a dangerous combination.

Their relationship taught me a lot about what unhealthy relationships look like. And reaffirmed my belief never to settle just because you want a relationship. It can lead you to the wrong person and once you're intertwined with that person financially, it makes it so much harder to leave. 

One of my favourite sayings is 'When someone shows you who they are, believe them.' 

We see you. We saw you then and we see you now. I choose not to say this to your face because you're not worth the effort. We tried so hard to like you for Dad. Because we loved him and wanted to be with him. We tolerated you only because we had to. 

The only positive in losing our wonderful Dad is finally...FINALLY....losing you too.

Taken on: July 14, 2024

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Camera: Nikon Z 9, f/8.0, 1/160 sec, 58mm, ISO 100 (more info) (hide info)

Camera:	Nikon Z 9
Lens:	NIKKOR Z 24-70mm f/2.8 S
Aperture:	f/8.0
Exposure Time:	0.006 sec (1/160)
Focal Length:	58mm
ISO:	100
Exposure Bias:	0 EV
Flash:	On, Return not detected
Exposure Program:	Manual
Exposure Mode:	Manual
Metering Mode:	Multi-segment
White Balance:	Auto
Contrast:	High
Color Space:	sRGB
Software:	Adobe Photoshop 25.11 (Windows)
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