I Am Two Rivers

There are Two Rivers in the Amazon...

One is called the Rio Negro.

One is called the Rio De Salomones.

What is special about these two rivers is that they run side by side for 6 miles and never mix. At times, they swirl together fervently as if making a valiant effort to become one. These rivers never mix together because they flow at different speeds and maintain different temperatures. They have altogether different chemistry. The Rio Negro is dark and clear. It has lots of decaying leaf matter on the bottom which makes it dark and cool. Imagine the Rio Negro is like Black Tea. The Rio de Salomones is like a milky cafe au lait. It is rich with silt and sand from its banks on the other side. When I first saw the image of these two bodies of water, I was lured in. First, because it is quite a sight to behold- a wonder of the world. Second, because it reminded me of myself. I relate to these two rivers. As I am creating a self-reflection series, I knew I must paint this image.

How in the world do I relate to these two rivers, you ask?

There is the me that is passionate, fiery, adventurous, simultaneously courageous and terrified, driven, willing to take risks, extremely joyful and easily wooed at the simplest pleasures. This is the me that carries all of my greatest joys and my darkest sadnesses. This me is fast and furious, a ball of energy, good and bad.

Then there is the me that is reserved, cautious, a quiet observer, a thinker more than a doer, terrified without being courageous, anxious, hesitant, responsible, aware. This is most often my representative

to the world. This is the me that wants to be invisible, the grounded quiet soul who guards and protects.

So we continue on....separately together....