The Beauty of Bonding
Date Published: 1/04/2017
The experiences we’re about to share aren't necessarily light-hearted ones. They’re wrought with pain & perseverance, but we still gather their lessons like ripened fruit. And as we digest this knowledge, our hearts begin to overflow with gratitude. We take note of this feeling and believe it is our duty to thank the two kind souls who have enlightened us: an insightful father (Dave) and his truly triumphant daughter (Maxine).
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The emotional excerpt below introduces you to these candid characters, their ever-strengthening relationship and the unlikely condition that brings them together.
Dave Loustalot: So the first time you went [to treatment for your eating disorder] they said you that you were depressed and anxious... how did they treat that?
Maxine Loustalot: By putting me on various medications
Dave Loustalot: Did it help?
Maxine Loustalot: No...
Dave Loustalot: Did you tell them that it didn't to help?
Maxine Loustalot: Um it was my first time ever being on medications so I wasn't exactly sure how to respond
Dave Loustalot: Are you still on those medications?
Maxine Loustalot: No, they've changed many times over the years
Dave Loustalot: ...So you've never taken medications before [the first time they were prescribed to you] correct?
Maxine Loustalot: Yes
Dave Loustalot: Do you feel differently today because of the medication you take [rather than] a couple years ago?
Maxine Loustalot: I feel much more stable
Dave Loustalot: Do you feel less anxious? Is that what you mean by stable?
Maxine Loustalot: I'm still depressed and I'm still anxious, but not to the degree that I was before I was taking anything
Dave Loustalot: Would you ever see a time when you would not be on medication?
Maxine Loustalot: Um, I would hope that after all these years and experiences in and out of treatment that I could acquire some skills to alleviate stress and depression on my own to learn how to self-soothe so to speak but I can't guarantee that'll ever happen
Full interview can be found here: https://storycorps.me/interviews/maxine-2/?start=311722
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Maxine & Dave are prime examples of the beauty that bonding can have. Stories like these celebrate strength and remind us to fuel ourselves up from the inside first and foremost. External forces will affect us, that fact is unavoidable. But, as we begin to build ourselves up, these external forces will no longer be able to break us down.
As Maxine's journey of self-discovery continues so does her career as a fine art photographer. Her creative craft is what connected us together and our hope is that her work inspires others to see the light in the darkness. The photos she creates intensely intersect the line between these two contrasting ends of the spectrum. The photo above is featured as part of her 'Sticks and Stones' project of www.maxineloustalot.com. Her collections uncover once hidden depths of our soul that speak volumes through the stillness of her photos. Her ability to transfer her own life lessons into her passion is beautiful. We hope, just like Maxine, that our work brings to light our own personal path to enlightenment and helps to illuminate the minds of others.
Words by Ashley Coffey of We Take Note | Photo Credit: Maxine Loustalot
--
The emotional excerpt below introduces you to these candid characters, their ever-strengthening relationship and the unlikely condition that brings them together.
Dave Loustalot: So the first time you went [to treatment for your eating disorder] they said you that you were depressed and anxious... how did they treat that?
Maxine Loustalot: By putting me on various medications
Dave Loustalot: Did it help?
Maxine Loustalot: No...
Dave Loustalot: Did you tell them that it didn't to help?
Maxine Loustalot: Um it was my first time ever being on medications so I wasn't exactly sure how to respond
Dave Loustalot: Are you still on those medications?
Maxine Loustalot: No, they've changed many times over the years
Dave Loustalot: ...So you've never taken medications before [the first time they were prescribed to you] correct?
Maxine Loustalot: Yes
Dave Loustalot: Do you feel differently today because of the medication you take [rather than] a couple years ago?
Maxine Loustalot: I feel much more stable
Dave Loustalot: Do you feel less anxious? Is that what you mean by stable?
Maxine Loustalot: I'm still depressed and I'm still anxious, but not to the degree that I was before I was taking anything
Dave Loustalot: Would you ever see a time when you would not be on medication?
Maxine Loustalot: Um, I would hope that after all these years and experiences in and out of treatment that I could acquire some skills to alleviate stress and depression on my own to learn how to self-soothe so to speak but I can't guarantee that'll ever happen
Full interview can be found here: https://storycorps.me/interviews/maxine-2/?start=311722
--
Maxine & Dave are prime examples of the beauty that bonding can have. Stories like these celebrate strength and remind us to fuel ourselves up from the inside first and foremost. External forces will affect us, that fact is unavoidable. But, as we begin to build ourselves up, these external forces will no longer be able to break us down.
As Maxine's journey of self-discovery continues so does her career as a fine art photographer. Her creative craft is what connected us together and our hope is that her work inspires others to see the light in the darkness. The photos she creates intensely intersect the line between these two contrasting ends of the spectrum. The photo above is featured as part of her 'Sticks and Stones' project of www.maxineloustalot.com. Her collections uncover once hidden depths of our soul that speak volumes through the stillness of her photos. Her ability to transfer her own life lessons into her passion is beautiful. We hope, just like Maxine, that our work brings to light our own personal path to enlightenment and helps to illuminate the minds of others.
Words by Ashley Coffey of We Take Note | Photo Credit: Maxine Loustalot
