Don't Give Up - Divide, Colorado

We all shine on

Like the moon and the stars and the sun

-John Lennon

I recently spent three days in the mountains at a photography workshop EVOLUTION called Don't Give Up. I went to it a couple of years ago but something was driving me to go again. And that thing was fate.

Something happened in that lodge to the 20 or so of us that I believe definitively changed our paths forever. I opened up and shared what's inside my creative heart with strangers in a way that I never have with anyone close to me. I felt connected with these other story tellers who just understood. They got it without me having to explain it. We were challenged to figure out the "Why" behind what we do. Why do we photograph? Not how, what, who. But why. How often do you look at something in your life and ask yourself, "Why do I do this?" Probably never. Which is a giant shame.

My why is because I want to live a life of inspiration for my son. I want to show him that happiness comes from wherever he wants to find it. He has the power to create a life that is his own. We are all part of a beautiful tale and his role is whatever he wants it to be. 

My why is because I want to be the vehicle through which people get to tell their stories. My name, my face, the memory of me isn't important in the process. What's important is that someone has a tangible memory of a certain point in their lives, and I helped them document it. Some stories are amazingly joyful, some are beyond painful. But every story is important and deserves to be told again and again and again. 

With that, here is my story of the Don't Give Up Project hosted by the immeasurably kind and inspiring We Are the Parsons.