Self-Portrait

"Growing up, if I hadn't had sports, I don't know where I'd be. God only knows what street corners I'd have been standing on, and God only knows what I'd have been doing, but instead, I played hockey and went to school and stayed out of trouble." -Bobby Orr

This quote resonated with me. Not only because Bobby Orr was a fantastic athlete and hockey player and I respect what he has to say, but because I can relate in a sense. Even though I wasn't allowed to start playing organized sports until I was almost 16, athletics has always been an outlet for me. Hockey is one of the sports that I love the most, and I remember how I used to beg my father to let me play organized ice hockey. Organized anything really! That wish didn't happen until I was almost 16 years old. A last ditch effort to help prevent me from going further down a rocky road. My dad figured hockey was cheaper than bail and lawyer bills, so he eventually agreed. I was already going down a dangerous path and had problems with drugs, so he figured this would probably help. He was right!

I love hockey, with every fiber of my being. It's all I want to do. Skating, being on the ice, makes me feel free. I love skating especially, and have quite the natural talent for it. Ice hockey helped save me. It prevented me from going further down the wrong path and instead helped me go down a much healthier one. I credit ice hockey for saving my life. It's my outlet. I was abused for years, and have been plagued by many demons. Hence the reason why I used drugs. Hockey is the replacement for that. All my pain and anger I can release in a healthy manner, by taking it out on the other team :P

At this point in my life, other activities help balance me as well, but hockey always remains my primary love! Which is why when I had a photography assignment back in college to take a descriptive self-portrait, I took it in my hockey gear - hockey is a huge part of my life. At the time, I was the only female on an all-male ice hockey team, but I never kept my hair out when I was playing. I kept it up so I would look like one of the guys, just a tiny guy. Having this photo of me without my helmet on and my hair out is a rarity!

Check out some of my other photography on my Instagram page! https://www.instagram.com/dana_seims_photography/

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