Through the Glass Darkly

As I browsed a recent batch of photos, I found this shot of Lael, originally shot in color, of course, that I absolutely fell in love with, though I’m not sure why.

Certainly the smile is enchanting, as is her sheer enthusiasm for the game she is playing.

But there’s something else I find attractive, a quality I originally called “Through a Glass Darkly,� a rather sad feeling despite, or perhaps because of, the joy in her face.

Perhaps the scratched, blurred surface reminded me of old photographs of my mother, my daughter, or even myself, as a child.

Perhaps the plastic bubble enclosing her saddened me, a subtle reminder I could never again truly experience the childhood joy she was feeling.