I wish I could say I read these words in a book or heard them spoken aloud on stage somewhere, but in the spirit of honesty, I just stumbled on them while scrolling my phone the other night. Regardless, this profound bit of prose by author and theologian Frederick Buechner stopped me in my tracks and continues to haunt me in the best way:

Here is the world. Beautiful and terrible things will happen. Don't be afraid.

What a powerful message. For our children and for ourselves. Good and evil. Joy and sorrow. Life and death. Ups and downs. Health and illness. Beautiful and terrible. To live fully is to experience it all.

How does this connect to photography? I'm still working it out, but I know it's a message that feels important. Shadows and light. Stillness and movement. Honesty. Art. Documentation. Connection. A desire to remember.

As the days begin to warm and signs of spring start to appear, I am beginning to dot my calendar with more photo sessions – families at home, branding for small businesses, senior sessions, editorial shoots, and a few weddings. And, of course, continuing to document my own little family on film. I am so grateful for this work that I love – work that honestly does not feel like work at all.

Maybe photography is simply my way of paying attention to the beautiful parts of life while knowing the terrible parts are there too.