Love + Service= Inspiration.
To love others is to ask “How can I serve?” And in turn, this leads to inspiration.
Working in a community hospital as a crisis worker in the emergency room and also on the psychiatric unit, I am “required” to support and encourage others. It is my “job” to offer hope the hopeless, teach coping skills, provide resources to those who feel helpless and to try to connect with those who often feel no connection at all. I have cried with some who so desperately wanted to end their lives, tried to do so and lived anyway. I have had intensely personal conversations with those who only hours before I had never met. Although it is my “job” to relate on this level, this can only be accomplished through love.
I could not be in the field I am right now without loving people, but many times my job can be very stressful. I find that much of the stress is alleviated when I remind myself it is not about me, it is about assisting others. When complete focus is put on serving, there is no place left for being tired or dwelling on my own issues of the moment. Loving service inspires on many levels. When one realizes capability, accepts imperfections, begins healing, and then learns to love, she becomes inspired to give back and often becomes an inspiration. Although I may inspire, it is often the resilience and strength of others that inspires me.
The past eight months have been a time of much reflection for me. Most of this assessment has had to do with choices I have made regarding my life’s work. I have made a decision to follow my passion for photography and see where it takes me. Before I even hit double digits in age, I fell in love with my camera and photographing people. I was the one always making everyone pose for me. I still am.
My main interest currently is working with women and their children. A long time ago, I quit high school, went to beauty school and got my cosmetology license. I am currently an independent beauty consultant and will combine this with my love of photography. I am putting together a plan that includes offering a limited photo session to be included with a makeover, for both my clients and to women in local shelters. The shelter residents will be offered a photo with their children as well.
Attending this workshop will be an amazing opportunity to learn from someone who is doing already doing what I aspire to: capture stunning images of woman and their children. It is my belief that every woman should have at least one photograph of herself and her family that she absolutely loves. Being able to give that gift to women is my purpose. However, I am just now beginning on the path of educating myself about the technical and business side of photography, so there is much that I still need to learn. Before learning of this contest, I had not known of Amy Wenzel or her incredible talent. I had been having some conversations with God and questioning the best path to make my dreams reality. Do I take classes? Learn as much as I can on my own? Both? Then I found this website. The student was ready and the teacher appeared.
Amy: Thank you for this opportunity. Should I be the one who is blessed by this gift, I will most certainly give back by passing it on.
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