Something About Mary

I work at a retirement home. How a guy who graduated Cum Laude, and got a Bachelors degree from college ended up on his hands and knees doing what I do is a very long story that frankly needs to change.

My days at the home typically has few highs and plenty of lows but in the home, there are people who make my life there less excruciating. One of them is a melancholy, a lady called Mary.

It is she that this blog will be about. I have observed that Mary has, what seems to be a fascination with life and nature. This fascination is clearly evident with the plants she has in her apartment, and the photos of people, birds and nature that she takes.

Mary inspires me! While her peers would rather glue their faces to the television screen watching “The young and the useless” (or is it restless?)”and re-runs of the wheel of fortune, Mary would rather re-arrange her apartment, and take images of life, and nature as it unfolds all around her.

When I took up photography, I never thought that it would change my life. Not once did I think that it would lead me to go places, do things and meet great and not so great people alike.

It is my belief that he genius of the camera is its ability to capture a moment in time and immortalize it. This thought dawned on me as Mary and I took pictures pictures of each other. We in a sense were not only interacting, but we were also freezing each others images, and in so doing making an impression of each other that could well last decades if not centuries.

Her children and grandchildren will look at the images I took of her and get from it a memory as well as a quality about her. The same applies to all who will see the image she took of me. I chose to take images of Mary because I see in her things I hope to be and have when I reach my “golden” years.

I admire Mary because of:
1. Her fascination with nature and living even at a mature age.
2. A loving family who are there for her.
3. Her ability to listen, laugh and learn.