Our little group for this Project 52 is full of such talented photographers. These women also happen to be mothers, which is a huge part of the motivation for documenting their families. But it also means sometimes we have to combine weeks because . . . we’re busy ; )
The theme for Week 6 was strength. I know — my photo of these camellias may not represent strength in a very literal way. But I thought about strength a lot that particular week. At the beginning of the week, one of my cousins was transitioned to hospice care after a long battle with breast cancer. She was only 39. We live hundreds of miles away, so I couldn’t photograph strength in person (nor do I know if I could have/would have if I was there). But my cousin’s strength was unbelievable. I can only hope that if I ever need it, I will have the strength to fight as hard as she did. I thought about her mother’s strength, as she sat by her daughter’s side after bringing her to countless chemo treatments. I thought about the strength of her two brothers, who she absolutely adored, and who wanted nothing more than to be there for their parents and their sister, despite how difficult that must have been. And I thought about the strength of her two beautiful children, who have been through more in their short years than some people go through their entire lives. The day I heard the news that hospice was coming in, my own two children actually napped at the same time, giving me the opportunity to step outside, get some fresh air, and think about the strength of all these people that I love so much. As I tried to process, I was drawn to these flowers. Our yard is full of camellias, and I love them. Here, I was drawn to the light and the shadows. And I was drawn to the fact that I actually think somehow, these are prettier on the ground.
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Week 7 included Valentine’s Day, and the theme, appropriately, was love. I was playing with light fall off, and I asked my husband to stand still for a portrait. If you have children, I’m sure you know how rare it can be to really LOOK at your spouse. That is, look and not be distracted by about a million other things. I’m glad I had the chance to see Travis again. I love him. And I needed him this week, and he was there.
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