ADVANTAGE

Mosaic
"Living life to the fullest"
 with Vitiligo since 2007
 

According to Wikipedia, love and sadism are closely related.  By its (Wikipedia’s) definition, love is a variety of different feelings, states, and attitudes that range from interpersonal affection ("I love my mother") to pleasure ("I loved that meal"); and sadism involves gaining pleasure from seeing others undergo discomfort or pain.  This means that in many ways, the very people that want to see you suffer, love (or at the very least admire) you very much. You must use any effort directed to you as pain to your advantage.

My current challenge is not falling into victim mode. I was recently betrayed. I do not waste time blaming my betrayer, instead I select a different path, not that of victim, but of conqueror. I am so very thankful for all the love in my life, especially the sadistic version.  Without discomfort, I would likely become complacent and fail to grow. Cicely Tyson said something in an acceptance speech that stuck with me and is so very applicable to my life right now. I paraphrase her words, “if they didn’t see something worthy in you, they wouldn’t bother trying to knock you down”. I appreciate all the effort to knock me down. A marketing strategist and all around extraordinary woman used a phrase “reinvent and move forward”. As a result of the latest effort to knock me down, I have been given a great opportunity to “reinvent myself and move forward”.

Vitiligo Point of View: 

Chantelle Brown-Young

Massimo Campana &

 Trever Swearingen/Pottle

Productions Inc.

Ever since I first saw this young woman on America’s Next Top Model (Cycle 21, 2014), I have admired Chantelle Brown-Young.  Chantelle has utilized vitiligo as a catapult into becoming a professional model.  She is a beautiful example of not being a victim, because of her vitiligo and all the mean things that people said or tried to do to her, instead she chose to seize the opportunity to live her dream.  Mosaic is still dreaming, but on the path to living it.  Link: People Magazine Article about Chantelle