Top of the morning all! The picture I picked today is from a wedding I shot last weekend the 20th and is going into a photo brochure book I am designing. I am very pleased with how it looks and thought it might be nice to share.
I also wanted to share some quotes I have amassed over the last few years. They are but a few of the number I have and glance at often. I find strength within the words and recognise that the people who have said them have in fact also learned lessons I can benefit from; I am trying to apply them in my life.
It was said to me by a man I know that; "Craig, you will be the longest overnight success in history." I laughed and appreciated that he saw that I have persisted for many years and just won't give up at my dreams. I am really happy, and pleased with the way my talents are beginning to find a voice. I am excited because I am feeling closer to the fact that in a coming day those talents I have nurtured will allow me to work full time for myself and allow me to touch many people around the world. The whiff of being so close to my dreams now, more than ever before is almost intoxicating. I move forward each day with a resolve to get there. One of my brothers once said to me, what happens when you won't make it or "get there". I smiled at his negative statement, looked him in the eye and just said "then I will never have feared that I didn't try." Ultimately though I wanted to say, "get stuffed!" How dare you rain on my parade!! But the inner resolve I feel, is evident over the many years that not everyone else gets me or what I do. Some people say wow isn't it amazing what we can do with cameras these days? Out of sheer frustration I have been known to retort with the following statement,
When was the last time you ate at a restaurant?
Was it nice food?
"Yes" is often the response.
Then I ask did you say at the end of the meal, aren’t ovens wonderful, these days?
I normally get a puzzled look - but occasionally the penny drops straight away.
Clearly the oven, as my camera, significantly help, but it is the creator that makes the difference.
I normally get a look that says "he's a bit precious" and then they amble away thinking I am all a bit too weird, totally unaware that they are the people who have little or no idea, that what I do isn't something I do on the side. It is loaded with my passion, hopes and dreams. In it's very essence the source of what gets me up in the morning and drives me on to achieve. I love that I have that. I know people who don't have a dream or hope and they seem to float from one crisis to another and have little or no direction. A multi millionaire acquaintance of mine said to me once, "I wish I had your passion." I thought, "he is the rich guy who envies me?" This I got to hear I said to him.
He answered simply, "I get up in the morning, I go to work. I go home. I eat. I watch TV and go to bed. Then I get up again the next day and do the same. I live 4 weeks out of every year when I travel away on holiday." He said further, "if I had your passion, I would multiply my investments and fortune many times over..AND THEN BE HAPPY." He then concluded I was lucky. And I am, broke but lucky!!!!
Have a great day everyone.
All of our dreams can come true - if we have the courage to pursue them.
~ Walt Disney ~
The journey in between what you once were and who you are now becoming is where the dance of life really takes place.
~ Barbara De Angelis ~
“Dream as if you'll live forever. Live as if you'll die today.” - James Dean
"Experience is simply the name we give our mistakes." - Oscar Wilde
"When you are courting a nice girl an hour seems like a second. When you sit on a red-hot cinder a second seems like an hour. That's relativity."
- Albert Einstein -
It is not death that a man should fear, but he should fear never beginning to live. - Marcus Aurelius
"We must not measure greatness from the mansion down, but from the manger up." - Jesse Louis Jackson
"Everybody can be great... because anybody can serve. You don't have to have a college degree to serve. You don't have to make your subject and verb agree to serve. You only need a heart full of grace. a soul generated by love."
- Martin Luther King, Jr
"The quality of a person's life is in direct proportion to their commitment to excellence, regardless of their chosen field of endeavour." - Vincent Thomas "Vince" Lombardi
"Persistence is the twin sister of excellence. One is a matter of quality; the other, a matter of time." - Marabel Morgan
"The greatness comes not when things go always good for you. But the greatness comes when you're really tested, when you take some knocks, some disappointments, when sadness comes. Because only if you've been in the deepest valley can you ever know how magnificent it is to be on the highest mountain."
-- Richard Milhouse Nixon
"When one door of happiness closes, another opens; but often we look so long at the closed door that we do not see the one which has opened for us." - Helen Keller
"I am enough of an artist to draw freely upon my imagination. Imagination is more important than knowledge. Knowledge is limited. Imagination encircles the world." - Albert Einstein
In everyone's life, at some time, our inner fire goes out. It is then burst into flame by an
encounter with another human being. We should all be thankful for those people who rekindle the inner spirit.
- Albert Schweitzer
"Our worst fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure.
It is our Light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, "Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented and fabulous?" Actually, who are you not to be?
You are a child of God; your playing small doesn't serve the world. There is nothing enlightening about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you.
We were born to make manifest the glory of God, the Divine within us. It is not in just some of us, it is in everyone and as we let our own light shine we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same.
As we are liberated from our own fear our presence automatically liberates others."
- Marianne Williamson
"A Return to Love"
What a pity that so many people rather believe their doubts and doubt their beliefs. Why don't we just decide to have no doubts, and believe your beliefs! Fear and worry is just the misuse of the creative powers we originally got to dream.
Jannie Putter
I believe life is constantly testing us for our level of commitment, and life's greatest rewards are reserved for those who demonstrate a never-ending commitment to act until they achieve. This level of resolve can move mountains, but it must be constant and consistent. As simplistic as this may sound, it is still the common denominator separating those who live their dreams from those who live in regret.
Anthony Robbins
Cameras and Ovens? what the?
The flickering flame
A dear friend of mine reminded me yesterday of the importance of making a difference to the world by starting from within. This was something that came in response to a previous post of mine on this blog. I had made mention of my stand to become more caring and tolerant. She also said that she was a small flame. Indeed at times we can think we are but small flames. In my response to Lynn, I was reminded of the words of a song from the Church College of New Zealand that I shared with her and will share here now also. After hearing and singing it many times myself previously, the words struck me with a new meaning and understanding. It is a simple song that is still very relevant.
It is better to light just one little candle than to stumble in the dark,
better far than to light, just one little candle
All you need is a tiny spark,
If we all say a prayer that the world would be free
What a wonderful dawn of a new day we'd see
And if everyone lit, just one little candle what a bright world this would be
Isn't living an amazing experience?
I have undergone a great deal of growth in the last few weeks, and perhaps more significantly in the last few days. I have felt love and joy, sadness and pain. I have come to understand more about the impact I make in life. The considered impact upon myself, the impact on others and on life generally. A Professor of Law and psychology who once addressed the UN on the rights of the family and the individual and was a key note address speaker in Geneva in recent times, said to me on one occasion that we make the mistake of thinking that life is ours, we can do what we want, it's our body and our life. He added the flawed nature of that mistaken belief, and said that we are in very essence the culmination of all the hopes and dreams of our parents and forebears who want the best for us and who will one day us ask us for an accounting of what we did with their name and with our lives. Interesting thought.
I feel very unworthy on occasion for the love and respect people have for me. I have hurt many people with my actions. Not with physical abuse or things of that nature. Whilst never wanting to hurt anybody, the impact upon me presently about the choices and directions I take in life and the wider ramifications to others is sobering. It still is only now registering that I can make a choice or action that will affect the rest of my life or the lives of others. I think in the movie Gladiator, Marcus Aurelius made the comment "what we do here and now echoes in eternity." I am so grateful that many of the pranks I pulled or downright stupid things I did as a teen were never malicious or caused me to have life long regrets, though I do cringe at some of the things I did and still do sometimes.
In the evergreen words of Frank Sinatra's signature tune, My Way he sang:
I’ve loved, I’ve laughed and cried.
I’ve had my fill, my share of losing.
And now, as tears subside,
I find it all so amusing.
To think I did all that;
And may I say - not in a shy way,
No, oh no not me,
I did it my way.
For what is a man, what has he got?
If not himself, then he has naught.
To say the things he truly feels,
And not the words of one, who kneels,
The record shows I took the blows -
And did it my way!
I do not think I will look upon another individual in dismissive judgement again, without first realising the many faults and weaknesses I have may in fact be much more than they have. I believe me to be a good person intrinsically, but recognise my flaws. I am convinced there may be people who read this who will recognise and know of many more also. For those who are hurt by my actions or words I deeply and unreservedly apologise. I am trying so hard to live life the best way I can, in being true to the person I want to be, and the person I can become and the person I am right now. It would be easy to sit back and say it's everyone else’s fault, but we all know that the way to rise or fall or become cynical, angry, happy and accomplished lies within each of us. I have always been impressed with the thought that the greatest of all human achievement began with a single thought. So in full circle to how this post started. The thoughts I have to begin anew and be better today than I was yesterday can be like a flame on a candle which may be buffeted from the winds of opposition, as I brace the flame with my hand to prevent it from being extinguished, I move gingerly forward.
Become the person you have always wanted to be. "Reach out and touch somebody's hand, make the world a better place if you can." And we all can.
I wish you all peace and happiness today.
Here today......
Two years ago I was asked to make a small "documentary" style story through video and photography about former children who had spent a varying number of years of their lives in Church of England Boys and Girls homes in the Carlingford area of Sydney from the 1940's until the mid1970's when the homes were closed. My brief was basically to record their reunion; their recollections if they wished and just take images of them together again. There were some 100 in attendance. I did not have any framework other than that. It started out well and the view of many of what are today our senior citizens had many different thoughts and feelings about their years growing up in the homes. Thoughts and expressions of happiness and joy were evident from most, many said that at the very least they had a place to sleep, their bedding and clothes were clean, they had relatively good meals, though some recalled the presence of weevils in certain foods on occasion. Some said that during the war, they had food that was poor at best and started to describe the little things they did to get by. It was a humbling journey to witness. There were a couple of people whose recollections were not as pleasant. I saw old men some who were near tears as they walked around the grounds of what was once their home. Some of the people did not want to be interviewed on camera but shared their stories with me nonetheless. I felt honoured to have such an insight into the lives of these strangers who I felt were my friends. I was reminded of this special day, because on the weekend I was asked to go back again and do the same thing. I was hesitant to do so, as I thought how could I possibly do a better job, I note that my equipment, and skill is always on the improve, it is just that I didn’t think I could top it…I still don’t. I did note though that some of the people in the last DVD and photos have died in the intervening two years. I am so grateful that I had the chance to meet, hear and record them. Life is so short. We are here and we are gone and like a demolition company slogan on the side of their trucks in Sydney says; All we leave is a memory! And if the memory of those who knew us fades or forgets and if we do not have plaques or statues built to honour us, and even if we do, largely we leave nothing.
I am often reminded of our temporary tenure on this mortal coil we call the world. I am horrified that bombs are occurring around the globe with an increasing and almost expectant frequency. I am horrified that there are people in the world who feel that in order to be heard and in order to augment change they need to hurt, kill or maim people- any people to make us all understand. What is it with that thinking? I do not understand it at all. When did might become right? I don’t understand how we can have people around us who would easily take the life of another rather than air their grievances in a civilised and mature way, however choose such a destructive and permanent way to make their point. I think specifically of Benazhir Bhutto in Pakistan, a country of 160 million people when in the middle of an otherwise peaceful rally a bomb went off killing and injuring some 140 people in the last few days. Just because I do not know them doesn’t mean I do not care about the tears and cries of parents who lose each other or their children. What about the story of a young boy this past week who was found dead in a suitcase in Sydney allegedly killed by his mother. What the? I wonder what our creator thinks at times. Obviously there is much good in the world, but the few bad seem to punctuate our lives and sometimes cause us to think or act differently. I am pained by the growing tide of offence and anger that seems to be rising in society and feel that I have been a contributor to the offence and anger I speak of on occasion but would never take out my anger in such a way. Burt Bacharach’s “What the World needs now, is Love sweet love” has never been more important and more pivotal.
I cannot change the world, but I can start with me…and today I make a new commitment to endeavour to be more tolerant and caring, patient and understanding.
Life is a strange thing at times. I am a slow learner. I have so many faults and weaknesses I am often found shaking my head and wondering why the hell I did certain things or said words that have cut and hurt people, without ever meaning to do that. I am guilty of sometimes being caught up so much in what I am doing that I have failed to recognise the hurt and pain of others around me. This post today is my way of stopping and thinking more about the life I lead, and remembering to enjoy the journey, no matter how short or long that journey may be.
The Rainbow Connection
Robert Frost the famed American Poet once wrote; two roads converged in a wood, I took the road less travelled by and it has made all the difference. As I reflect on this often I honestly believe that I too have taken the road less travelled by and I feel it has made the difference in my life also…and has ripples that continue to emerge that indicate the same.
Though when I make the mistake of comparing myself to my peers or most of my friends, I at those times feel inadequate for the temporal things that I don't have compared to that which they do, hence why I don't allow myself the mental exasperation of comparison often. There will always be people who have less and people who have more than I. Most of my friends have been on a path for many years that for some they have chosen, and for others whom circumstance has necessitated. However I have only really discovered my own path within the last few years to the degree and passion I now feel toward my hopes and dreams. The discovery of what I want to do with, or how I wish to shape my life more than anything else.
I have a brother who was an exceptional talent in photography, yet for reasons of circumstance has hung up his camera and passed the reins to his very capable daughter Talia who has developed his talent and made it all her own. He no longer engages in what was once a passion. He mentioned to me, that photography was just a means to an end. When that was said I felt then and now, how sad that comment was. For me, I have struggled to bring my talent to fruition. I really have excluded most everything else in my life to nurture the need for self-expression and in that wonderful process have begun to see the world differently. I treasure the ability that I have developed with photography and having a form of expression. I love that I get exposed to a vast array of humanity, in both good and bad situations and I also get access to places that would otherwise be closed or limited at best to me. I feel very fortunate to see the world or the slices of it that I do, I feel enriched and enlivened by it. 
Having said that, I am also a fan of other people’s photography that I stare at and absorb when I see it. Works by Ken Duncan, Steve Parish, Philippe Halsman, Henri Cartier-Bresson, Ansel Adams and many others works are simply inspiring. When I was in Paris a few years ago, I was in a constant trance staring at the posters, billboards and magazines that had images that I felt so inspired by. John Farnham, a talented Australian musician made the comment of a mutual friend and said, “first and foremost Glenn A. Baker is a fan of music”, significant because Glenn A. is a writer of some 15 books, a researcher, media presenter and archivist. But is indeed a fan of what he writes and says…as am I, of imaging and photography generally.
I believe that talent and natural ability is a gift from God that blesses not only the person who is in possession of the gift, but all of those who are touched and inspired by the gift. I think it a truly amazing and selfless thing that God allows us all to have gifts that touch others, and also bless those who have the gifts themselves. I believe further that our creator may be somewhat disappointed when we on occasion mistakenly feel that because we have a talent in a certain area or field of endeavour, that we are better than others. I get disappointed, and sometimes angry, with people I know who have certain talents and choose to discount their talent or ability or worse hide them altogether. Essentially, I love photography, as I have said many times, it is a vehicle that helps me see the world and people differently. I get to look a little deeper than the occasional glance and then get to see that we are all very unique and special people, and as a great man once said, we will one day see that we were a part of something too wonderful for our present understanding. John Lennon made the observation in a song directed at one of his son’s when he said life is what happens to you while you are busy making other plans. How right he was. I have come to understand what it is or can be for some creative people who struggle to realise the elements within, they yearn to be expressed and sometimes have this way of getting you up and propelling you forward when you might wish for a moment to remain still, I am not alone in the feelings I have, as I wrote in Chapter 1 listed on the blog, that even actors who take up being waiters or carpenters or plumbers until they get their chance, there is even the case of the Australian cobbler who most wanted to sing and now gets that chance, he sings around the world, records albums and has found, even late in life, the chance and opportunity to become the person he dreamed about. It is I guess truly the space that Paul Williams wrote about for Kermit the Frog, Someday we’ll find it, the Rainbow Connection, for lovers, the dreamers and me….
If there be any who may read this and have an inward desire to be something other than what they are, or are wishing to do something more than they are...just Do it. Like the Nike brand suggests. Goethe as much said the same. Whatever you can do, or dream you can, BEGIN IT. Boldness has genius, power and magic in it! so what are you waiting for? 
The pictures I chose for today's post I took some time ago and I still treasure, they are of a Tamarin monkey, Tom a cougar and a rare Sumatran pure bread tiger in a private zoo that the public doesn't normally get to see.
GARY V
Yesterday I was busy photographing a wedding that was set on a beautiful Sydney day. Temperature was about 23 degrees and the sun was out, the sky was blue and all was simply beautiful. I was at the wedding from about 10:30am until around 10pm after which I left the wedding and with the gracious provision of a dear friend, was invited to attend a concert of a famous Filipino performer called Gary V. I had the opportunity to sit on the floor at the front stage and was really grateful for the chance to be there. The concert that I saw, being that it started a couple of hours before I could be there, was just wonderful. All consumate entertainers have an ability to connect with their audience, Gary is no exception. When he catches the gaze of people in the audience he gives them a wink or look of appreciation making everyone feel that they are individually important to him and to the concert, as they are.
It is easy to become cynical in the day we live in and jaded by things that don't look bigger and better than last time, but in this concert environment with a predominantly Filipino audience, the feelings and the lyrics were important. There were few special effects. The lighting and the incomparable talent of the musicians, and dancers, whilst individually are strong and pivotal, they were essentially there like make-up on a woman. Make-up exists to enhance the beauty that already exits on a woman’s face, those individual talents harmoniously combined with what was essentially "A Man and His music." Gary humbly concluded his concert by simply saying "this song apart from all that I say, IS the very meaning of Gary V" and then sang a song that refers clearly to his acceptance and gratitude for a higher source, even God, who allows him to do what he does. Let me add my gratitude together with the united voice of appreciation expressed by all the concert goers last night. May I commend this performer to all, and he is a great ambassador for Filipino talent. I heard a concert goer say as I left the auditorium last night, I'm proud to be Filipino. I am not a Filipino, but agree that she has every right to be proud. I am proud to be a Gary V fan, and perhaps owing to my frame - possibly a VERY big fan!
Enjoy some of the pictures!
Big Boys Toys
A double entry today. Last night I went to the 2007 Sydney Motor Show with a friend Matthew. We were guests of another friend who kindly arranged for free entry. It was an amazing journey to see the advancement of technology and design in vehicles. I am not qualified to go into any depth on the cars overall, but pictured here are but a few of the cars I really loved. I particularly picture myself in the white $WD Mercedes GL320 and at a mere $124,000 I think it is not a matter of if but when!!!
I am amazed at the features and advancements these machines have. WOW is all I can say.
CL65 side view $474,000
CL65 front view
GL320 front view- My Favourite $124,000
GL320 side view
Mercedes Maybach S57 (the smaller one) a mere $1,200,000
Lamborghini Murcielago $380,000
Lamborghini Gallardo $477,000
BMW concept car - no price listed but approx $500,000 I was told
lost in translation
I have been in wonder and yet perplexed in recent times, with some of the things I think, mention or feel, that I share with others. I find sometimes that the comments, thoughts or feelings have taken on a life of their own. Somewhere along their journey they transform into objects that bear little or no relevance to the original thoughts and feelings that were intended by their source.
We live in such an interesting place and time. I have heard it said that these are the best and worst of times. So may it be. Because we all face life with different environmental, parental, and generational differences, an innocent remark could injure someone and ruin friendships and lives in some cases. I imagine it would be nice to live in a time where we/I might choose not to take offence at all. I am getting better I believe. I find personally my weakest times for taking offence are when I am tired or sick, or very busy or preoccupied. At least recognising the triggers, helps me be aware that when things happen whilst I am in those zones, I need to think first and then say or act. Though as you can imagine, I am human and often find that when I say or do things I didn't mean, or even if I did, I always feel guilty about hurting others and it takes a protracted amount of time to make things right. You expend so much more energy fixing a problem or situation than if you had've guarded your thoughts, speech or action in the beginning. True isn't it, "a stitch in time saves nine".
Human relations are fraught with difficulty and without over dramatising the situation, it is a virtual minefield. Yet through it all, incumbent with its dangers, I love it. That said, human relations also are saturated with significance, joy and love. I enjoy being around people and learning from them and most especially enjoy just watching people.
There are times that my male-ness is obvious and painful to some, but I also possess a quality that is not always apparent to others that allows me to objectively see other men and women in a way that highlights much about human behaviour generally for me. I always enjoy the theatre of watching a guy who walks past a woman he wants to impress, the whole body takes on a posture I refer to as "Peacock feathering", and akin to his feathered counterpart, a series of behaviours occurs which is interesting to watch and interesting to see that I too have acted the same way. It is in my small experience, seemingly universal to men, and on the other side, I have observed with some degree of interest; women look at other woman much more critically than a man would. I notice that when I show people photo albums and images to allow them to evaluate the quality of my work, I just watch the eyes of people, their expressions, and listen to their comments. It is amazing that very few, actually ever see the quality of the work itself, the women mostly comment on how the Bride in the picture looks or is dressed, whether the dress doesn't compliment her, or whether it does and the colours they had for the bridesmaids. It is amazing to witness.
Further to this, when I have walked into different settings with or near women, I observe with much curiosity the women in the restaurant, hall or venue ALL look at the dresses, handbags and shoes and how other women look, and there is this pose I have witnessed where a woman will pretend to look away by turning her face in a different direction but the eyes remain locked and "loaded". I am fascinated. I note that the glances of a woman to other women is mostly not always done in a demeaning way, though I have see it can be on occasion, but mostly I think there is a natural curiosity women and I share.
I once worked with a woman I really liked. Not in a weird or romantic way, I so admired her wardrobe. She was dressed "hot" every day. I asked Lydia one day, you must have a huge amount of clothes to which she responded, no Craig I have a few basic dresses, but I accessorise, and I learned a great deal from her. She once caught me looking and smiling at her and she probed me to why and I said simply I can see you do accessorise, and she said I should never have told you that. You know too much she said. Perhaps I am a metro sexual male, but I love the theatre of life, of living and of experience.
I have just wanted to express this today not to be critical, but more to express my wonder and appreciation for the chance I get to "see" through the eyes of others. Both from the lens of my cameras, but also from the perspective of other peoples experience. I even get a glimpse of myself occasionally as well. It is good to be blogging again.
The worth of a moment!
I walk every morning and have done so for some weeks and months excepting the last week, which saw me curtail this wonderful activity because I became rather ill. I walk to lose a little weight, or to postpone, if I can, the chance of becoming a diabetic with its incumbent possible twists and turns in health. Ultimately though, I walk and jog not to live longer, but to live better.
I prefer to walk in the last 30-40mins of darkness before the sun rises. I like to walk at this time because of the solitude and the harmony I feel with nature. I walk and jog along and get to this space near a body of water where I sit and bask in the rising sun over the river, I watch and marvel at the bird life and absorb the sound-enriched air that seems to be saturated with an emerging call from the bird life that is different and yet in perfect harmony with all the other sounds. By this time, other walkers, cyclists and joggers come onto the scene, and the sun is out and the day begins. The occasional car passes by and I walk briskly back to my abode and commence the activity of the day.
At the start of this walk, I pass through a small tunnel and it literally is so dark, I cannot see the ground or the other end, which is probably about 40 feet long. It is in this space that I reach a place a friend calls "auditory exclusion" an occurrence that happens when you focus so totally on one thing that even if you stand next to someone firing a loaded gun, you cannot hear the sound of the gunshot. This friend is a federal police officer. It is in this moment of darkness that I step gingerly forward, one step after another, and become so acutely aware of my heart beating, my breathing, and the silence. Strange though it may seem, I love this space. I love getting to the other end and seeing a little more light, and then enjoy the light emerge through the darkness in the sunrise.
It reminds me of a time when I was lying in a bed in the island of Leyte in the Philippines in 1986. I was awoken to a storm, the likes I had never seen before or since. I was in the middle of a typhoon. Typhoon Undung to be precise. It killed some 546 people in the Visayan Islands in the aftermath tally. It was so dark during the storm that I would move my hand in front of my face and then away several times and it was so totally black that I could see absolutely nothing. It was an experience that never really leaves you.
The only time I could see was when the lightning struck the ground and I could see the cheap Nipa Hut (reed and straw) houses around me in one flash were gone in the next. Really. It was horrific. The darkness is not a place I specifically like, but it is a brief time and space when I get to so truly appreciate the light. I appreciate the struggle in my life and I appreciate the slow blessings that seem to come after periods of doubt and darkness. I raise this because life is a series of opposites, and when I slowly come to appreciate one circumstance I may be in, like the way I am thinking when I pick up a camera and ask myself, what it would it look like from this angle. I ask myself also, what is the opposite of this moment. It teaches me some mental acceptance both from where I am, and allows me to patiently realise that this too will pass, and give rise to where I will be. Sometimes in a moment, at other times a seeming lifetime.
I love life. I love having friends, and I am constantly surprised by how many I seem to really have. I remember at the age of 14 when my adopted father died, I attended the funeral and without exaggeration there were some 500 people there in attendance. It has been an experience that never left me. He is a man that never had much of the things that life has to offer, and he certainly had his fair share of faults, as do I, but the one thing he had was a love for people. I think though he was my adopted father, I adopted some of the good things that made him truly great. This simple comparison, I raise because I have become more aware that we are not islands at all, we are indeed people who need each other and people who yearn for an understanding and connection to our fellow men and women. I ask myself often, does my life really make a difference?
You can make your own assessment, but it makes a difference to me. I think also that many of the images I have taken, have added a small part of me into generational family gifts that tell stories of their respective lives and memory laden threads of lore. What is our worth? I submit that we are of an inestimable worth and valuable to people whom we may never really know.
