Absent Presence

Absent Presence, 2023 Sophie Dezhao Jin Archival Inkjet Print Someone once close to my heart vanished overnight, all that remains are the marks and memories left on me. Still, in her absence, I feel her presence, running through my blood, reckoning with my heartbeat. For years, I lingered on lost connections, repressing memories, hoping the days I breathe can fade away the pain. But, still, she exists in me. I can never escape from my body, so I can never escape from her absent presence. Eventually I must decide to face it, and allow the loss to rush through me. Like falling leaves from a tree, they decay into the earth and gradually disappear. Only vanishing to the naked eye, but still felt through our senses. It’s all there with us, if we embrace it with our open hearts.