Sarah
I've met a few strangers today, most of them were Californians visiting Portland, as was Sarah here :-)
Sarah, 23 y/o, was born in Pasadena, California.
"I grew up there till about ten and then lived in Arizona for 11 years, then moved back to Los Angeles due to family.
I went to school for aesthetics. I currently work at a barber shop called 'The Executive Cut and Shave' as a receptionist.
I'm going to be attending school again to be a cosmetologist and barber.
My hobby is swing dancing. I have been dancing since I was 12, I do a little bit of everything but mostly swing, Lindy hop, and Charleston.
I go to mostly social dancing events, but will join a friend of mine that's been dancing for a year to his private lessons to help assist while he is learning. I love helping him out with learning and seeing his enthusiasm towards dancing."
"What is your message, a word of advice to the world, Sarah? Anything you would like to share?"
"My advice is to love someone as much as you can before they are gone and to never stay mad. The love of my life, Brandon, passed away back in February of 2014. My biggest regret was that the last time I spoke and saw him, a couple of days before he passed in a car accident, I had been mad at him.
He had a very beautiful free soul. I'm sure he is doing great wherever he is and knows I love and miss him very much, even though I didn't let him know that the last time I saw him."
"What is your struggle/ challenge right now, Sarah?"
"I have a son, Dash Anakin, I love him very much. He is one and a half y/o. I was a fulltime mother up until about a couple of months ago. I then asked his father if he could take care of our son fulltime for a little bit so I could get back on my feet and live on my own--since I had moved to California and was staying with family. He said yes, but took off to Illinois, where he's from, with my son.
The father of my child is a great dad, but unfortunately he is not the kindest person to me.
I have trouble believing I'm a good mother with the situation I've been put in. I'm taking advantage to build my career and be more financially stable so I will be able to have my son fulltime again though. I will do anything to have my son back and provide for him. He's my little man!"
"What advice would you give the younger you, Sarah?"
"I think I would tell the younger me to not pay attention to what everyone has to say about me. It took a while for me to get over that so I could love myself. Also I would have told myself to have not isolated myself so much. I get a lot of social anxiety and sometimes have a hard time getting over it in some situations whether it be with people I know or don't know due to spending so much time alone growing up.
It's funny because I realise I can look really intimidating, but I'm probably more intimated by everyone else. I can be completely fine one day and the next I can be completely closed off to the world.
I feel like going social dancing helps that anxiety sometimes. I hope to fully get over this problem."
BTW, Sarah's chest tattoo says: "one of these days you will learn to love again". It's lyrics from a song called 'Life and Death' by 'The Dear Hunter'.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=O_AgwXR1Los
Thank you so much, Sarah, for being so open, friendly and kind. I wish you to have the strength to overcome the difficulties in your life right now and get your son back.
Sarah thanked me in an email:
"Thank you for the experience! The pictures are great and my hair looks so blue 💙
I checked out your photo blog. I really enjoyed looking at all the pictures and reading what you had to say about every picture. I bet you are learning a lot about the Portland culture which is really awesome!"
Sarah
I've met a few strangers today, most of them were Californians visiting Portland, as was Sarah here :-)
Sarah, 23 y/o, was born in Pasadena, California.
"I grew up there till about ten and then lived in Arizona for 11 years, then moved back to Los Angeles due to family.
I went to school for aesthetics. I currently work at a barber shop called 'The Executive Cut and Shave' as a receptionist.
I'm going to be attending school again to be a cosmetologist and barber.
My hobby is swing dancing. I have been dancing since I was 12, I do a little bit of everything but mostly swing, Lindy hop, and Charleston.
I go to mostly social dancing events, but will join a friend of mine that's been dancing for a year to his private lessons to help assist while he is learning. I love helping him out with learning and seeing his enthusiasm towards dancing."
"What is your message, a word of advice to the world, Sarah? Anything you would like to share?"
"My advice is to love someone as much as you can before they are gone and to never stay mad. The love of my life, Brandon, passed away back in February of 2014. My biggest regret was that the last time I spoke and saw him, a couple of days before he passed in a car accident, I had been mad at him.
He had a very beautiful free soul. I'm sure he is doing great wherever he is and knows I love and miss him very much, even though I didn't let him know that the last time I saw him."
"What is your struggle/ challenge right now, Sarah?"
"I have a son, Dash Anakin, I love him very much. He is one and a half y/o. I was a fulltime mother up until about a couple of months ago. I then asked his father if he could take care of our son fulltime for a little bit so I could get back on my feet and live on my own--since I had moved to California and was staying with family. He said yes, but took off to Illinois, where he's from, with my son.
The father of my child is a great dad, but unfortunately he is not the kindest person to me.
I have trouble believing I'm a good mother with the situation I've been put in. I'm taking advantage to build my career and be more financially stable so I will be able to have my son fulltime again though. I will do anything to have my son back and provide for him. He's my little man!"
"What advice would you give the younger you, Sarah?"
"I think I would tell the younger me to not pay attention to what everyone has to say about me. It took a while for me to get over that so I could love myself. Also I would have told myself to have not isolated myself so much. I get a lot of social anxiety and sometimes have a hard time getting over it in some situations whether it be with people I know or don't know due to spending so much time alone growing up.
It's funny because I realise I can look really intimidating, but I'm probably more intimated by everyone else. I can be completely fine one day and the next I can be completely closed off to the world.
I feel like going social dancing helps that anxiety sometimes. I hope to fully get over this problem."
BTW, Sarah's chest tattoo says: "one of these days you will learn to love again". It's lyrics from a song called 'Life and Death' by 'The Dear Hunter'.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=O_AgwXR1Los
Thank you so much, Sarah, for being so open, friendly and kind. I wish you to have the strength to overcome the difficulties in your life right now and get your son back.
Sarah thanked me in an email:
"Thank you for the experience! The pictures are great and my hair looks so blue 💙
I checked out your photo blog. I really enjoyed looking at all the pictures and reading what you had to say about every picture. I bet you are learning a lot about the Portland culture which is really awesome!"