Share a little love.
Send a little note.
Take a little bite out of loneliness.

• Pick an image; message a friend

• Learn more about Joan’s “loneliness” project

• See more of Joan’s photography

Surface Tension

• Pick an image; message a friend

“You can never ‘un-tell’ a secret.” That was my mother’s counsel about relationships.Mom was equally concerned about appearances. Her reaction to anything I did that was even slightly edgy was always, “But, what will people think?”Mom’s counsel was smart from a self-protection perspective, but also very isolating. I became extremely cautious of sharing “the real” me. I existed in a bubble—secure, but often alone.We all wear masks to fit in, maintain relationships, and protect ourselves. The curated “outside” version of ourselves can be
useful, even necessary—but when it becomes the default, the dissonance between our inner and outer selves widens.Loneliness thrives in that space between our authentic internal persona and our performative external one.Loneliness has no easy antidote. It takes work to heal. And, connection can only happen when our inner truths find space
in the outer world. Bridging this gap starts the process of taming loneliness.Through connection, honesty, courage, and the slow, deliberate work of sharing our true selves, loneliness melts away.

• Pick an image; message a friend