Stage 12: The Legacy
After we transition, we leave behind a legacy in the hearts and minds of those we loved
and touched in one way or another as we acted out the Stages of Life together. And the
quality of the memories we leave behind is created today, in the moment.
That is why I chose to depict this with photographs. All through our lives, using cameras
to memorialize an event is commonplace. Amazingly, we do understand that time doesn’t
stop for our pleasure and we want to revisit memorable events or people when we no
longer have a physical connection to that time or person. "Time...(CLICK FOR MORE)
After we transition, we leave behind a legacy in the hearts and minds of those we loved
and touched in one way or another as we acted out the Stages of Life together. And the
quality of the memories we leave behind is created today, in the moment.
That is why I chose to depict this with photographs. All through our lives, using cameras
to memorialize an event is commonplace. Amazingly, we do understand that time doesn’t
stop for our pleasure and we want to revisit memorable events or people when we no
longer have a physical connection to that time or person. "Time...(CLICK FOR MORE)
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12 Stages of LifeTM
Click on Each for more Detail:
| Copyright Bruce Carnahan All Rights Reserved |
Stage 1: Birth
It has been said that all of Life is a play and we are but actors on a stage. Thus, the name
for this series, 12 Stages of LifeTM. Each of us does not necessarily share all the same
Stages; some of us may improvise a bit.
Not everybody gets married. Not everybody has children. Some people never retire. But
even if we don’t choose those stages, we know friends or family that do. So I have tried to
prioritize 12 Stages that we as humans experience collectively, while perhaps not
individually. These are the 12 I have personally...(CLICK FOR MORE)
It has been said that all of Life is a play and we are but actors on a stage. Thus, the name
for this series, 12 Stages of LifeTM. Each of us does not necessarily share all the same
Stages; some of us may improvise a bit.
Not everybody gets married. Not everybody has children. Some people never retire. But
even if we don’t choose those stages, we know friends or family that do. So I have tried to
prioritize 12 Stages that we as humans experience collectively, while perhaps not
individually. These are the 12 I have personally...(CLICK FOR MORE)
Stage 2: First Day of School
The first day of school, along with daycare, is one of the first barriers between child
and parents. It is the first of many separations.
In many ways, it is like the emotions a child experiences when they are born. Torn
from the warm familiar security of time spent with parents and placed on a strange
school bus, fear of the unknown is only natural. This fear can...(CLICK FOR MORE)
The first day of school, along with daycare, is one of the first barriers between child
and parents. It is the first of many separations.
In many ways, it is like the emotions a child experiences when they are born. Torn
from the warm familiar security of time spent with parents and placed on a strange
school bus, fear of the unknown is only natural. This fear can...(CLICK FOR MORE)
Stage 3: First Love
The excitement of that first love creates memories that will last a lifetime, revisited in our
minds again and again down through the years. At this point, we still have all the magic of a
small child; any fairytale ending is possible—and probable.
I chose a football game as the backdrop for this picture because for many, it, and sports in
general are a substantial focus of the adolescent years. Also, a cheerleader and football
player seem to serve in the minds of many as a stereotypical high school couple, seen in
high profile wandering the school hallways attached to each other in so...(CLICK FOR MORE)
The excitement of that first love creates memories that will last a lifetime, revisited in our
minds again and again down through the years. At this point, we still have all the magic of a
small child; any fairytale ending is possible—and probable.
I chose a football game as the backdrop for this picture because for many, it, and sports in
general are a substantial focus of the adolescent years. Also, a cheerleader and football
player seem to serve in the minds of many as a stereotypical high school couple, seen in
high profile wandering the school hallways attached to each other in so...(CLICK FOR MORE)
Stage 4: Graduation
As we progress through Life, from Act I to Act II and so on, we are constantly
graduating from one stage to the next. If we live—if we truly live—graduation is a
process, not a ceremony.
In this drawing we see three buddies who have co-starred together on the previous
Stages of Life. This picture depicts both their shared past...(CLICK FOR MORE)
As we progress through Life, from Act I to Act II and so on, we are constantly
graduating from one stage to the next. If we live—if we truly live—graduation is a
process, not a ceremony.
In this drawing we see three buddies who have co-starred together on the previous
Stages of Life. This picture depicts both their shared past...(CLICK FOR MORE)
Stage 5: Marriage
Marriage is not a Stage of Life that everyone dances on. Some never experience it, either
by willful choice or by unwilling misfortune. As I said before, not everybody chooses
marriage, but if you don’t, you have friends or family that do. It has been a major Stage of
Life for millennia.
In this drawing, I tried to convey the anticipation instead of the actual event. Oftentimes our
emotions before the event are more memorable than the event itself. Fear of the event is
often greater than the actual living through the event that we fear....(CLICK FOR MORE)
Marriage is not a Stage of Life that everyone dances on. Some never experience it, either
by willful choice or by unwilling misfortune. As I said before, not everybody chooses
marriage, but if you don’t, you have friends or family that do. It has been a major Stage of
Life for millennia.
In this drawing, I tried to convey the anticipation instead of the actual event. Oftentimes our
emotions before the event are more memorable than the event itself. Fear of the event is
often greater than the actual living through the event that we fear....(CLICK FOR MORE)
Stage 6: First Child
As with marriage, having a child is not a Stage of Life for everyone. But most adults
do have children or have friends and family that do. For those that do, having that
first child is a life-changing event like no other.
After a lifetime of fending for yourself and learning to take care of yourself, you are
instantly and forever connected to another human being that....(CLICK FOR MORE)
As with marriage, having a child is not a Stage of Life for everyone. But most adults
do have children or have friends and family that do. For those that do, having that
first child is a life-changing event like no other.
After a lifetime of fending for yourself and learning to take care of yourself, you are
instantly and forever connected to another human being that....(CLICK FOR MORE)
Stage 7: Career
After our hormones settle down, and our priorities change, we begin to realize we are
providers, not just for ourselves, but for those we love and who depend on us. That is
the motivation for some to begin a serious career. For others, a career is simply the
challenge of achieving, of finding something you have a passion for, in which you can
pursue excellence. For still others, it is a mixture....(CLICK FOR MORE)
After our hormones settle down, and our priorities change, we begin to realize we are
providers, not just for ourselves, but for those we love and who depend on us. That is
the motivation for some to begin a serious career. For others, a career is simply the
challenge of achieving, of finding something you have a passion for, in which you can
pursue excellence. For still others, it is a mixture....(CLICK FOR MORE)
Stage 8: Retirement
Retirement is something many people work their entire careers for. It is one of the most
desired Stages of Life to dance upon. I wanted to depict it as a celebration.
In this drawing, the man has devised a ritual to commemorate his retirement by building a
bonfire to burn his bridges. In a sense, he’s attempting to burn his past, but can we
really do that? It is as much a part of us as this present moment. In fact, the past has
brought us to this present moment. Nonetheless, most of us atte....(CLICK FOR MORE)
Retirement is something many people work their entire careers for. It is one of the most
desired Stages of Life to dance upon. I wanted to depict it as a celebration.
In this drawing, the man has devised a ritual to commemorate his retirement by building a
bonfire to burn his bridges. In a sense, he’s attempting to burn his past, but can we
really do that? It is as much a part of us as this present moment. In fact, the past has
brought us to this present moment. Nonetheless, most of us atte....(CLICK FOR MORE)
Stage 9: Reflection
There comes a time when we realize that we don’t have as many years left to live
as those we have already lived. Suddenly, or gradually, we begin to reflect on the
decisions we have, the decisions we have made, the years we have left, and how
all these shape who we are and where we are right now.
We pause, as this man has done, to look back and reminisc....(CLICK FOR MORE)
There comes a time when we realize that we don’t have as many years left to live
as those we have already lived. Suddenly, or gradually, we begin to reflect on the
decisions we have, the decisions we have made, the years we have left, and how
all these shape who we are and where we are right now.
We pause, as this man has done, to look back and reminisc....(CLICK FOR MORE)
Stage 10: Penance
This is the Stage where we pay for the sins of our youth. Some of us pay physically,
some of us pay spiritually. There’s that famous scene from "Godfather III" when Michael
Corleone, as an old man, sits reflecting all alone in the courtyard, then collapses. He
was paying spiritual penance. But for this woman in the drawing, her penance is
physical. We see the ravages of a lifetime of doing who-knows-what finally wreaking
havoc. Struggling to sit upright and shuffle slowly to the restroom, the back of her
hospital gown opens like a curtain in a play to reveal a tattoo....(CLICK FOR MORE)
This is the Stage where we pay for the sins of our youth. Some of us pay physically,
some of us pay spiritually. There’s that famous scene from "Godfather III" when Michael
Corleone, as an old man, sits reflecting all alone in the courtyard, then collapses. He
was paying spiritual penance. But for this woman in the drawing, her penance is
physical. We see the ravages of a lifetime of doing who-knows-what finally wreaking
havoc. Struggling to sit upright and shuffle slowly to the restroom, the back of her
hospital gown opens like a curtain in a play to reveal a tattoo....(CLICK FOR MORE)
Stage 11: Transition
This Stage can be pretty disturbing for many people, even though it's a required
part of Life. I call it Transition because that is exactly what it is. We are
transitioning from one existence into another, from one Stage of Life to another.
However, some would argue that after this Stage, the curtain is forever drawn. But
consider this: are we really our bodies? Or....(CLICK FOR MORE)
This Stage can be pretty disturbing for many people, even though it's a required
part of Life. I call it Transition because that is exactly what it is. We are
transitioning from one existence into another, from one Stage of Life to another.
However, some would argue that after this Stage, the curtain is forever drawn. But
consider this: are we really our bodies? Or....(CLICK FOR MORE)
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