My Dreams Will Dance!

Let's talk about this picture, shall we?

As you might recall, I befriended a young lady named Sydney Corcoran earlier this year. Sydney was severely injured in the Boston Marathon bombing, and of course, that's how I ended up "finding" her online. But that horrific experience does not and should not define who she is as a person. There is more to her and her life than just what happened to her - even if that is hard for people to remember sometimes.

Sydney has really struck me as a strong and resilient young woman. But that doesn't mean it's easy. She is, after all, 18 years old, and that can be trying even without the extra burdens placed on her. The last couple of weeks have been particularly challenging in a way that they never should have been in the first place. But that's another story.

Concurrent with recent events, my good friend Kayleigh Lebak (aka Kabuki Katze) was running a special on pin-up ladies on her deviantArt page. (This special still has a couple of days if you'd like in on it!) Kayleigh had previously crafted this Beauty and the Beast card for me as a gift to Sydney. One night, the wheels started turning in my head, and I went to Kayleigh with my idea.

The idea was simple: a pin-up of Sydney, glamorous and powerful and free. She is not untouched by all that has happened to her, but she is unbowed by it. The reference was photo of the lady herself taken this summer. So yes, this is absolutely Sydney Triumphant.

The text for this piece is derived from the English translation of Rica Matsumoto's "Alive A life" (actual title), the theme song to the Japanese superhero series KAMEN RIDER RYUKI. These words in particular really strike a chord for me with regards to Sydney, especially since she is a dancer. They fit the pose perfectly, and have the odd sort of poetry you can only get via non-native English.

The point of this picture is to highlight Sydney's inner and outer beauty. Sydney is a gorgeous woman (even if she doesn't always think so), and her scars don't change that. If anything, they call attention to the person inside who has survived so much already in her short life. She is extraordinary, and I am proud to call her my friend.

Sydney is an individual, and it's important to not forget that simple fact. Her healing process is an ongoing one, and isn't just all of a sudden magically finished. Some days are a struggle. But with her indomitable will (or is that stubbornness?), I have no doubt she will emerge victorious. And her dreams will dance.

This one's for you, Syd.

(Special thanks to Kayleigh for her amazing talent in creating this picture and for giving me permission to post it early. Watch this blog for news of it going live on her dA account!)