The narrative “My Journey to America” by Sassone, Marco Massimo, and Peter Clothier illustrates how the environment influences and directs the lives of individuals. How we define our careers and how we live our lives are influenced by our peers. After spending time with Silvo Reffredo, who encouraged him to take up painting as a hobby, the protagonist of the story, Sassone, develops an urge to become a painter. The narrative has impacted my creative endeavours; it sparked an interest in photography within me, which served to distract me from feelings of isolation and, later, helped me launch a career as a photographer. The experience of being human is fascinating, it is a new journey with no guidelines. Humans cannot control the direction of their lives or predict the future. The beginning and end of a person’s life are the most prominent examples of the idiom “life is a white paper with black dots”; both are full of contrasts, but the former is happier than the latter since birth is a joyous occasion, and death is a sad one.
Consequently, the regular march of life compels humans to encounter and overcome problems, diseases, and other obstacles and setbacks. In the face of seemingly insurmountable obstacles, it is simple to abandon hope of ever regaining a normal condition of affairs. The tiniest flaws in a person’s appearance, such as graying hair, wrinkles, or a red eye, can be devastating. Every aspect of the human body has a story, and these histories influence my artistic approach.
Pencil. Paper. Desk. A window was thrown open. Paper rustles. Regular pencil tapping. I attempt to generate new thoughts as I sit in my empty house. It appears complex for me to write; I am confused. The wall appears to be white and spotless. This wall is a reflection of the cosmos inside my thoughts, so I do not believe I will ever be able to give in to the impulse to paint it in vibrant colors.
When I stare at this wall, I understand that my head and heart are empty, which causes me to consider my mental and emotional state. Sometimes I wonder if I do not have any writing ideas because I do not have anything to focus on or because I do not have somebody to write about. Honestly, I usually choose the second choice, which exacerbates the issue. Even though I have indicated that there is not a specific person about whom I would be interested in writing, this does not mean I do not know any persons worthy of being featured in one of my works. I have spent a great deal of time in the past profoundly contemplating and traveling through my thoughts, and as a result, I can distinguish between real and imagined isolation.
Real loneliness is a phase of life in which the mind is fulfilled by thoughts of oneself alone; it is a phase in which you realize that no one cares about you, and as a result, you give up on people. This period of life comes when one’s mind is content with thinking exclusively of oneself. I cannot determine whether this stage is positive or negative, and I do not believe there is a single correct answer. The only thing I know for sure is that I spend much time alone, which may or may not contribute to the fact that I have difficulty forming new ideas.
When my mother stated I needed to make choices, I did not take her words seriously. I was overjoyed to move to such a distinct and diverse location. Nonetheless, this enthusiasm did not continue long enough. As soon as I arrived in Fairfax, I encountered numerous obstacles, including a drastically different society, and the need for independence at age 14 (Sassone and Clothier 34). When my first year of high school began, I was at a loss for what to do due to my lack of self-assurance. The different culture and society caused me to avoid interacting with my new found friends; regrettably, I am not the type who can flaunt his or her imperfections in public. Consequently, something strange appeared in my life, this strange phenomenon is loneliness. I remained silent because I dreaded being humiliated. I accepted a lunchtime seat in a chorus room because I was terrified of it. I was so terrified of embarrassment that I agreed to spend time alone in a dark room after school; I agreed to lose my youth. To be lonely is to anticipate something or someone continually. Being alone implies being ignorant of everything.
Nevertheless, photography helped me overcome my loneliness. As soon as I concentrated more on other people’s stories than on my own, all of my concerns vanished. To immortalize their stories, I decided to take up photography. Language barriers compelled me to do anything other than writing or reading. It compelled me to begin photographing (Sassone and Clothier 35). Photography may convey significantly more than words. Different images serve a variety of goals, with mine attempting to portray true beauty. You need not travel far to find genuine beauty; it is just beneath your nose. The simpler the moment, the closer you look, and the more you will notice something remarkable and distinctive. As an individual, I strive to find beauty in my monotonous and complex life to endure the rigors of my fate; this is my best and most cherished habit. The essence of beauty lies in its simplicity and aesthetics.
Work Cited
Sassone, Marco Massimo, and Peter Clothier. American Journey: My Life in Art. Arti Grafiche Press, 2022.