Everard 't Serclaes was killed defending Brussels in the 14th century. For the last few hundred years visitors to the city's Grand Place have touched the shiny bronze arm and hand of his recumbent statue for good luck. I photographed numerous visitors touching the monument, but all of the images were more descriptive than expressive. The reason: lack of symbolization. Finally a couple of kids reached for that bronze hand simultaneously, clasping them all together on the monuments hand in a virtual embrace. I abstracted this scene by lifting my camera to include just the wrists and hands of the kids, and cropping out the rest of them. Abstraction often produces symbolism and metaphor. The laying on of hands is an ancient symbol of blessing, faith, and luck. The flowing bronze corpse of Everard’t Serclaes symbolizes mourning, the eager hands of young children express enthusiasm and camaraderie. A contradiction? Perhaps. But also a union of opposites: past and present, life and death, a bad break and the prospect of good fortune.