SamanthaThomas

Samantha Thomas

Reflection Day 2

2-8-09

Today, we visited the Frist Center. The collections at the art museum included art ranging from Medieval pieces of art to the exhibit we paid close attention to: “Seeing Ourselves: Photographs of Safe Haven.” The parents and children of some of the families at Safe Haven took the photos. The photographs reflected many things including self-photographs and pictures of families. The one picture that affected me the most was the very first shown in the exhibit. This little girl was simply playing with a bubble machine, like most little girls. However, beside the picture a similar quote was used: “Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us.” It simply showed me and I hope the people around us that these people are not “just homeless,” they are people that have only fallen and need help getting back on their feet. Another part of the exhibit that really affected me was the video that Safe Haven Shelter and Blueskies Productions had put together in reference to what the shelter was about and how some of it operated. As I watched them explain how they wanted to keep their family’s together I was becoming a sympathetic for those who have to split up their families in order to simply survive from day to day. But near the end of the video, this one single family affected me the most. The last name escapes me, but the family consisted of a mother and her five children. When they saw their new home that was provided to them via the shelter, every single one of them began to tear, including several of the older children who completely understood the situation. When I heard soft sobs, my focus was drawn away from the flat screen television and to the faces of the girls standing around me. Every face was wet and every eye was red and swollen. My heart began to hurt as I felt complete and utter regret for not trying to help with this cause sooner.