01/30/2024
It feels fitting to say farewell with some images from the Turks and Caicos, where Ryan and I have spent several vacations together. We didn’t plan it this way, but our trip fell just a few days after my last shoot. So, in a way, this vacation helped me celebrate my “retirement.”
Ok, I’m gonna get a little philosophical now… When I learned that I had cancer, my first thought was “Well, I’ve had a good life…” This thought stayed with me as tears streamed down my face and my head swam with memories from my wedding, my travels, and my business. In the end, it is the time spent with loved ones and the time spent doing things that light us up that really matters.
Looking back at the choice to open my business through the lens of a person facing a health crisis changed the way that I thought about that decision. (I moved here from NYC in 2013 and started my business down here.) I never regretted the choice, but it always seemed to be a risky and bold decision and I always felt scared that I wasn’t going to be able to make it. Yet in hindsight, it suddenly seemed wise to take a chance at making a career out of my passion and striking out on my own when I was young enough to make a real go of it. I felt fortunate that I had the gumption at that time to move to a new area and open my business. I thought about how I would feel if I hadn’t had the courage to make that leap. I think I would have been filled with regret and sadness.
The advice to “Follow your passion” is at this point a cliche and some would argue, bad advice. While I can’t tell you if following your passion is always going to work out in your favor, I can tell you that if there is something that excites you and fires you up, don’t neglect that part of your life. Life is too short to shortchange the good things: family, friends, food, travel, satisfying work (that you are good at!), fill in your favorite thing here!
Make time for joy. It really matters. 🩵
As Mary Oliver said, “Tell me, what is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?”
