This self-portrait was partly inspired by my philosophy that our time on this earth is spent in a state of misery, or a state of bliss, and that generally we find ourselves somewhere between these two states. The passage of time is represented by the presence of both the baby (myself at six months old) and the older "me". The "X" over the eyes of both represents that although we come into this world in a state of perfection, we are also human and therefore fallible. I used four hands to represent the divine within us all (borrowed from Lakshmi, Hindu goddess of wealth, love, and prosperity). It is hoped that the face of the adult "me" conveys battle-scarred misery, but also a sense of peace within (bliss).