Friday Light : Evolution

Friday Light : Evolution

-A delicate cactus flower, shot April 16th 2008. They live for only 24 vibrant and bold hours.

One of the recent prompts at Picture Spring was about looking back at life one year ago today, if for no other reason but to remember what things were like a year ago. What was blooming, what caught the attention of our lens, what was really going on so many months ago?

I’m realizing that although we grow, change, and evolve a little each day, it’s hard to recognize unless we take a good long look back at where we were; who we were. It is only then can we truly celebrate how far we’ve come and who we are today. Right now.

There are so many things I am proud of that have come into bloom in the last year. The I am Enough Collaborative is one of them. The responses that have been flooding my inbox really shed the light on how powerful our stories are and how 3 little words can mean so much. As a matter of fact, I am delighted to share that BlogHer asked to syndicate this week’s featured post by Amy Turn Sharp over there on their site. Such an honor and a true blessing to have the opportunity to share the Collaborative with more women. We are all in this together, after all.

Thoughts on traveling far, coming a long way and evolving (and doing it together) bring to mind my dear friend Jen Lemen who is, as we speak in Africa poised and ready to reunite sweet Odette (another dear friend) with her daughters. Finally. For those of you who have followed this story, this will be sweet sweet music to your ears. For those of you who haven’t, I enoucourage you to start. It’s amazing.

Just thinking about what they all must be feeling right now, after all this time, all this struggle, all these miles to have this long chapter come to an end, just in time to write a brand new one…together after being seperated for so long just gives me the chills.

There are all kinds of intricate pieces of this puzzle of love, friendship, family, strength, courage and hope-so much hope- that will be shared as things unfold in the next week or so. I, for one, am on the edge of my seat, tissue box in hand. Picture Hope at Shutter Sisters will be the landing page where all of us can follow along together, women who hold onto hope, at any cost.

Today as we take to heart where we’ve been, who we are and where we’re going, I encourage you to consider helping get those girls to their mama. It’s been a long time coming. Send love and light (and funds if you are able) to Jen, Odette and her girls as they finally finish this leg of the journey.

2 Comments
  • melody
    Posted at 17:54h, 16 April Reply

    What a gorgeous, tender image. Feeling much joy for the girls and Odette.

    I am hoping to also feel the joy of reuniting someday. Words cannot convey the depression and pain which engulfs a mother who has to be separated from her child.

    The light is still there, even in the rain.

    Let the Rain

  • shelley
    Posted at 08:23h, 19 April Reply

    I remember being so so over the moon when your proposal for Picture Hope won the grant against all odds!
    Now here we are again with Odette, Jen, and Stephanie overcoming all the odds to bring Mother and Daughters
    together at long last. Just remember at that sweet reunion…..HOPE ALWAYS WINS!

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