By Kayla Smith
From a young age I knew my family was different from those of my friends, but I really knew it was different when both of my parents were remarried. The summer of 2015: two weddings, two new parents, three new siblings, two new houses, and a brand new school. This was the summer my life drastically changed, in neither a good or bad way, just changed. Before, my life looked a lot like what most people would refer to as “normal.” In black and white, I went to school, played soccer, and had my family of two younger siblings and two divorced parents. This was my life. I liked my life. Then, new characteristics were added with my family growing, moving to new places, and having to alter all of my day to day activities. At my core, I was still the same person who did most of the same things; I still went to school, played soccer, and had two divorced parents. Only now I have four parents, five siblings, two new houses, and a new school. Although this was not the easiest summer, I love everything about it because it added so much to my life and made me who I am today. People are still shocked when I tell them I have five younger siblings!
If we look at this piece as a self-portrait, I saw it in black and white—which is not a bad thing—but then the color from my new life only added to myself and the quality of the structure. At the same time, color represents memories and how each path of our lives comes in a different shade or hue. Individually, they are unique, but together they create a masterpiece. Some may look at this as incoherent and messy, but to me it is my life, and I love everything about it. I often remind myself that change is not always a bad thing; eventually it leads to a new color you can add to your portfolio called life, and when all of your colors merge together, everyone you encounter can see how beautiful your life is, because it is.
Kayla Smith (she/her) ‘28 is majoring in architecture with a minor in sociology. She writes and creates art as a form of processing and expression. She loves scrapbooking, spending time with loved ones, and running.
