Parents

It seems a lot of people blame shortcomings in their life on some thing their parents either did to them or didn't do for them. Fortunately, I have never been able to blame my parents for anything except possibly, making me think I could do anything. They would always say, "you can do anything you want, as long as it doesn't hurt other people; but remember that whatever you do, the important thing is to do your best at it." So I grew up with the idea that I could actually accomplish anything I wanted to if I worked hard enough --- mostly, this is not a bad thing.

Though I have mostly been able to accomplish most anything I set out to do, there are those times when I haven't. It's at those times when I start to think something is wrong with me and this is a dangerous road to go down, because of course---there's no cheese at the end of that tunnel.

At the end of the day it comes down to a simple quote from none other than Yoda:

"Do or do not; there is no trying". Or from Virgil's Aeneid, "They can because they think they can". So here's to the wisdom of my parents, teaching me to be responsible for everything I create, and for the knowing that "it's all up to me".

Simple Things

Willa Mae George was the maid of my best friend Becky's family. We grew up in a small town in Florida--Ft. Pierce. The picture I don't have, except in my mind---is the one of her standing at the ironing board everytime I arrived at Becky's house. The smile however, was as big and broad as the one here. For some reason, for a long time,  I thought her name was Willa Maid, some silly kid thing I suppose.
When I returned to Florida in '95 I started to make pictures of people from my home town---those who had had some sort of impact on me---Willa Mae was one of them.
We never had a maid at my house --- so to me, she was some sort of representation of wealth --- she raised us to a degree--because I spent a lot of time in that house of my best friend.
She was calm, understanding, loving and peaceful---unshakeable. She was reliable, something you could count on---you had the feeling that she was a fixture at that house and that she would be there as long as the house was.
Time goes by and we realize that nothing lasts forever --- kids grow up, people get old, houses get sold, families get divorced and move on.
But I will always remember Willa Mae, the ironing board, the generosity and the kind words; and of course that perfect smile and those white teeth.

Remembering South Africa

There are trips and photographs that last forever---that's what photographs are---captured moments that make us remember things and feelings.
I went to South Africa in 2002 to photograph a Habitat for Humanity Blitz Build with Jimmy Carter and his wife---and LOTS of volunteers who spent a week, usually of their vacation time, building 100 houses.
There were many memories, which I will post ongoingly because this is a memory I don't want to fade--- but mostly, I remember children--lots of hope, mountains of gratitude and a quote from a woman who was moving into her 2 bedroom one bath home from a 5 foot by 5 foot tin shack. It was the first time she would have a kitchen, running water and a bathroom. It was the first time she would not have to walk a half a mile just to get a bucket of water.
Part of Habitat--is something they call Sweat Equity. This is a concept that you must help build another's house before you can get your own. This woman's name was Patience oddly enough and when I asked her what she learned from the experience of owning her first home, she said, "It taught me to dream; because until now I had never dreamed I could have a brick and morter house. I will dream more now. This has taught me that anything is possible."