Once Upon a Time...

Once upon a time, I wanted to be a photographer. It was my dream. I had a little studio set up in my parents' basement, and I spent hours and hours taking photos of all sorts of things. I hoped to work in advertising. Then, I went while in DC my first year at college for a journalism convention, I toured National Geographic. I thought nothing better than to slump through jungles and snake my way through foreign countries snapping hundreds of rolls of film. Well, life got in the way, and that didn't happen. Although I dabbled here and there with weddings and portraits, it didn't work out. We were poor, I had a baby, and I got sucked in another direction. That being said, I always dabbled. I never let it go completely. The fruit of that was given to me today. My ex-husband's niece (I still consider her my niece, but the divorce separated us and I hadn't talked to her in over 10 years) sent me a postcard. I saw her a week or so ago at a local restaurant while she was home visiting. She sent me that postcard from Ohio while she's touring the country taking photos. She said that it was because of me that she' s out there, right this moment, snapping photos, snaking her way across the country. She also added, "You remember when we covered those old check boxes with wallpaper?" Yes, I do, and she added these were things that she'd do someday with her own nieces. The postcard brought be to tears. I sat in the car and cried. All those years ago, I had no idea that something I might say or do would inspire this beautiful little girl to live out her dream. I'm so proud of her. She's starting her doctorate in psychology, and she mentioned she'd like to do something with art. If I had to do it all again, knowing what I do today, I'd be an art therapist. 100%.

So, Ms. Rachael, as you tour around the next few days, know that I'm living vicariously. I love you to pieces and you made my day today. It just reminded me how powerful just a little bit of time can be when offered to a child, and it reminded me that dreams live on in other people sometimes, and that, my dear, makes me so incredibly happy!