Some tragedies affect the entire world such as the sinking of the Titanic, the Holocaust, events like Pearl Harbor, September 11th, and natural disasters that leave families homeless. Not all tragedies are recognized by the human population as a whole. Some of the greatest tragedies are not written by Shakespeare or documented in history books. Yet, in some way, SALT Contemporary dance shared mine, and possibly yours.

Tragedy can be a mental illness, physical habilitation, loss of a loved one, financial instability, and more. The Dalai Lama once said, “When we meet real tragedy in life, we can react in two ways- either by losing hope and falling into self destructive habits, or by using the challenge to find our inner strength.”

When I am Lost, We Speak in Flowers shows how people change over time because of the experiences they endure. It shares the belief of strengthening one another and being there in the best and worst of times. The movement evoked emotions in me that I hadn’t thought of in a long time. It was a reminder that we can find hope by sharing our stories and find beauty within personal tragedies. I recalled my journey and found reassurance in the “flowers” of my own life. 

Like others in this world, I have experienced many things throughout life. I definitely have not fallen short of trials and difficulties. Packing up and leaving my childhood home because of bankruptcy was not ideal. Being bullied endlessly in high school was no slice of pie. And discovering I had depression and anxiety while living two-thousand miles away from home and family was a struggle I will never forget. Although these only begin to describe some of the personal tragedies in my life, I can look back at that “fence” and find beauty in life’s toils. 

Each flower placed on the fence is a teacher, a friend, family, accomplishment, hope, dream, and more. The fence covered in flowers is visual expression of what Vincent Van Gough said, “Great things are a series of small things brought together”

I hope when people see When I am Lost, We Speak in Flowers, they will feel something. I hope that they can look at the dancers incredible depiction of life’s tragedies and recall the moments in their life that have made them who they are today. This production is not meant to be the end of someone’s journey, but only the beginning.