I recently heard the phrase ‘everyone has a cross to bear.’ Immediately I thought how true this is. Despite the shittiness of our disease, everyone has got something going on with them, their own cross to bear. I think it gives perspective to our illness. I’d like to express this thought in art. How would you show it abstractly?
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Albatross around the neck. Too lazy to find emojis but I’m sure one could find a bird and a head and neck.
I don’t understand, pls explain
It’s an expression.
Hmm, interesting. How would you show it in art? a dead albatross is a tad morbid.
@rest of y’all: I’m not looking for emojis to show
Nothing says it has to be dead. The origin is obscure enough that you could paint a living albatross chained to the person’s neck?
That would probably require an explanation. Something a little less abstract.
Thanks for your input @anon40540444
I’ve never been accused of being too abstract as my abstraction skills suck ass. You take that compliment back! Hmmph. 
Calling all creative beasts!
@anon90843118 @anongoodnurse @anon80629714 @anon10648258
I’m not sure…
That’s okay, the abstract is abstract. Thanks for 
Ing in @anon90843118
Gene I once met with a preist to tell him that I was angry with the Lord for my disease. His response was that everyone has a cross to bear. It took quite a few months to realize what he meant. I think the best way to accept this is by the way in which you choose to live. Its something that can only be expressed by actions not words or thoughts
I had a quick look at what it meant… everyone has a personal meaning to the cross? What it means to them am I right? Please let me know so I can come up with something
ok ill share my idea maybe it will help somewhat but if not its ok…
Have you ever heard of the 6 blind men and the elephant analogy ? They all touch the elephant to describe what it feels like and they all come up with different answers… they’re not all wrong… similarly we all have different ways of seeing the same thing
So you could have bears trying to feel each part of the cross and coming up with different answers as to what they are seeing 
It’s a rare life where someone doesn’t suffer some kind of tragedy and hardship. If people do that I am happy for them, but I don’t think there is a lot of them.
on second thoughts sorry I’m not sure if I’m making sense im just waking up
How about a family sitting around a table eating, with various ‘problems’ chained to their legs?
@anon80629714: it made lots of sense, thanks for the try. Each man has his own perspective even though they’re handling the same elephant. We each have a unique cross to bear even tho we share the same earth.
I’ll noodle w your idea, it’s on the right path… (:
@gcar: it humanizes the experience. It’s my belief that perspective helps in recovery knowing others out there may be struggling, that we are not alone even though we may feel alone.
I like this idea also…
How about three bears with a cross around their neck sitting around a table eating with different problems chained to their legs …
Not sure how it can be done but the idea I like
3 bears in a hospital beds each with a cross around their neck dealing with different symptoms of the same illness or different illnesses