Still Life (Bedside)

by

Tara

ISB | Oil on Canvas | 40 x 50 cm

My nightstand houses reminders of my past including a bottle of gold from a fourth-grade trip, my father’s cassette recording of Beethoven’s ninth, and flowers from a friend. Initially, I perceived all of these objects as sentiments of my only home, California. Over time, I realized I have cherished more objects from Thailand such as black wooden cats from Chiang Mai, a turtle paperweight from Hua Hin, and dried flowers from Bangkok. For nearly three years, this bedside table has blinded me from appreciating my surroundings. Now, the nightstand illuminates the coexistence of two pasts and the ambiguity behind “home.” (100 words)