The "Look"

In my experience, most PWCs have what I call "the look." I don't know how to describe it, but I'll bet if any one of us goes to the mirror, we'll see it. There's a look of "who WAS that masked SOB anyway" combined with a shadow of pain and great age (far beyond chronological years). Much of a PWC's gaze is turned inward, as if searching for or trying to understand some great mystery. I also see tremendous weariness, patience and determination, and a muted blend of anger and hope. I have a lot of pictures on my wall behind/above my computer, and every single one of the PWCs among them has this same look. It's in the eyes. In some ways it's like the look one sees in the eyes of people jammed into refugee camps.

Never fails to make me weep.