Wild & Free

For the last two years, I have been having a love affair with photography. I love everything I learn, from the simple reminders to keep back-up batteries with me, to learning depth-of-field, shutter speeds, etc. I see the world in a whole new way, not just the obvious, but sometimes even the mundane. Everything I see suddenly is a photograph in my mind. For quite awhile now, it has become an outlet for me also.
It's my outlet from grief, pain, awkward silence, raw emotion, and trying to put one foot in front of the other each and everyday. Let me explain a little...A few days after this past Christmas, my husband and I received the most dreaded phone call every parent never wants to experience. We were informed that my 26 yr. old step-son had died suddenly at his mother's home in Florida. I've been through a lot in my life, but nothing compares to the pain of losing a child. It has changed me in so many ways, I can't even describe.
I do know that now I try to cherish each day more, say "I love you" more to family and friends, worry more about my own children, and try to see the beauty in all that life has to offer. I see many things that remind me of my step-son, some happy and some sad, but this particular photo jumped out at me in regards to him.
With that in mind...there are all kinds of wild flowers growing along the roads at our summer place. Many of them are just weeds, but are really pretty in their own right with the colors, shapes, etc. The photo below is just a shot of the rows and rows of wild daisies growing along the side of the road on our street. This particular photo reminded me of my step-son, as the flowers are growing wild and free, and their simply beauty can put a smile on your face. Hope you enjoy and "Happy Friday!"

Standing Out in the Shadows

Finally made it back to our summer getaway on Lake Huron. Hoping to spend as much of the summer here as I can. I have been waiting for so long to get back here, where the air is clean, the sky is wide open, and of course the beautiful lake sunrises, and sunsets. Here, I am hoping that we can somehow heal a little and make some sense out of life. That is a post for later, when I feel I can actually talk about what the healing is all about. When I pulled up to our place, these flowers are first thing I saw, and it somehow reminded me of my Mom. My Mom was diagnosed with Alzheimer's Disease about 2 years ago. Many people do not know that it is a disease that takes your mind, your memory, your dignity, and eventually turns the brain into the "broken" position permanently. The daffodil here is shining brightly in the sun, but with the sunlit shadows on the back of the flower. That is why it reminds me of my Mom. She is still shining, but the shadows represent each part of her memory that has been taken forever. The other daffodil is me standing beside her for as long as I can. I know the day will come when she will be truly alone mentally, but until that time I will keep reminding myself that she is truly "Standing Out in the Shadows", and always will for me.