Photography: A Celebration of Life

Three and a half years ago, I (Sara) joined my mother (Michelle) in this business and it truly was the best choice I ever made.  As you probably didn’t guess, my mother and I are very close. We work together, we live together, we host parties together, and we have mother/daughter dates all the time. She can read me without even saying a word and visa-versa. We have secret inside jokes and we work so well together. Jake and his mother, Carol, were the same way. Carol, my then boyfriend’s mother, was such a darling woman. She was inspiring and humble. Jake was as close with Carol as I am with my mother and that is why I fell in love with Jake.  That bond was so important to me; I needed my partner in life to connect with their mother on that same level as I did.

Carol knew and was so excited for the journey that I was starting with my mom.  As Jake and I continued in our relationship, I began to get close with Carol, beginning to view her of more like a mother-in-law than just my boyfriend’s mom. I remember Carol taking me through bins after bins of pictures from when Jake was a baby through high school. It was soo cute! Of course he did the typical, “mom, please stop!”  These memories bring me joy when I look through the same pictures she showed me. 

 

Carol with Jake celebrating his 11th birthday!

I know you’re probably wondering why I am talking in the past tense when I refer to Carol.  This is because three years ago, on June 25^th 2012, Carol passed away very suddenly.  Carol had a very rare disease called Dystonia. It is a neurological movement disorder in which sustained muscle contractions cause twisting and repetitive movements or abnormal postures. Even with the struggles and the pain, she pushed forward with creating new memories and spending time with those she loved. She always would have a smile on her face! And as time went on she was in more and more pain, and as she was getting ready for her doctors appointment, her muscles began to contract and her brain caused her heart to stop. On June 25th, she passed away. A death at any moment can cause heartache, but this truly shocked everyone as no one expected it to happen. Jake was only 21 when he lost his mother. 

I remember that day Jake and I’s relationship changed and it turned into something deeper and taught us to trust in a very different way. I think that it also changed my mother and I’s relationship. I grew to appreciate the time and moments I have with my mother. I also grew to love, adore, appreciate, and fall more in love with photography. Photographs capture memories yes, but they capture emotion and life. They hold and remind me of times that have been forgotten. Jake cherishes those pictures he has of his mother. You can see how much he still loves his mom, even cherishing each picture of her and celebrating her life. 

There are points in life where devastation is real, but that there is beauty in those memories captured. When you see photographs of that loved one(s), it brings joy to you.  It truly has taught me how valuable a picture is honestly worth because the life is treasured. I know that reading this, you can think of someone and you treasure every picture they are in. Everyone can, which is a real and powerful thing! The need for photographs should never diminish, but rather be cherished even more so. 

 

A photograph I keep of my mom and I on my nightstand and its our favorite!

“A life that is precious is filled with moments you cherish.” – Unknown