"Paradise Lost" is an artistic exploration of grief and loss, expressed through manipulated photographs and text. Many people in the United States are experiencing a collective sense of loss, particularly regarding the idealistic optimism once associated with the "American Dream." This loss stems from various factors, including political and religious divisiveness, erosion of personal rights, and concerns for safety and security. These issues create a universal experience of loss that lacks a clear path for navigation. Our current political climate and the rise of dangerous ideologies intensify these feelings, challenging our sense of collective continuity. The manipulated images, marked by moments of clarity amid distortion, mirror the fluid journey of grief and loss, intermingled with text reflecting an equally tumultuous political landscape. By combining unpredictable analog and digital methods, the artwork suggests that resolution in the face of grief may lie within embracing the unknown.