My First Language

Crying was my first language. It marked my first breath, and proof of life.

It was the best way I knew to express my feelings. But as I grew up, I silenced it, afraid of being mislabeled as fragile. There were many moments when words fell short, yet out of fear, I only let my tears speak in solitude.

Now, I’ve made a promise to myself to relearn my body’s mother tongue. To let it express sadness, joy, awe, gratitude, anger, and all the emotions that words can’t quite capture. Crying is not a weakness. It is the most natural way I know how to speak.

This is an ongoing exploration with long exposure photography, an attempt to capture the colors, the emotions, and the way the world looks and feels when seen through teary eyes.