People are Special - One of a Kind

People are special.  They are unique.  They are one of a kind.  To not treat your fellow mankind like that, is cause for concern.

What happens should one of these unique individuals pass away, become none existent in the physical form we are accustomed to, either by accident, purposeful design, or just part of the cycle of life?

One of my friends, Sandra, has chosen wisely to embrace life.  To see the uniqueness in each of us, and in herself.  She found her passion . . . though through a tragic event.  I saw this night that this great personal loss became an even greater life gain.  She still has pain, sorrow, and the need to overcome.  However, she gives more than she receives, depositing love into each of us, through the power of living as seen through her eyes.  The day she needs to withdrawal from that bank, I will be there for her.

I come from a middle lower class family.  We did not starve, we did not stop existing, though existing became a challenge.  I was faced with my peers wanting to put me down, supposedly to make themselves feel upper class I would guess.  Everything seems to be ranked these days.  We are asked to choose.  So why are we not equal?  Probably because each of us are special, unique, one of a kind.  Our inner strength defines us.  Some choose to break our inner strength.  Because they feel they can I suppose.  Though others feel they have won their individual war, putting me down, beating me, verbally abusing me, I still learn, become more connected with the world, seeing the beauty in people like in my friend Sandra.  I never doubt.  This energy of beauty and strength is what propels me in my photography, though my photography falls way short of what I see, for now.  I say that because I see my voice in my friend Jen’s photography of Sandra, which for Jen I am very proud of, for seeing for me.

Jen took a trip with Sandra, on this special day, the day that changed Sandra’s life.  Though this initial event is tragic, the outcome is wonderful.  Here are some of Jen Jackson’s photos . . .

My photography is giving me an outlet.  I think everyone needs an outlet.  You cannot keep piling up grief, negative emotions, to become numb of your environment.  For if you do, you lose.  You are no longer special, unique, one of a kind.  Each of us needs to define ourselves, in our own way.  Do not force how we define ourselves onto others, for that destroys us in the end.  We lose our uniqueness.

I have chosen to leave the details surrounding this story out.  It is not my story to tell.  The reason I share what I have, is because all of us need to understand.  To understand we are each special, unique, one of a kind.  When we cherish that, life becomes easy.  Yes, we will always have challenges.  However, our constant deposit of friendship, recognizing our individual selves, outweighs any withdrawals life keeps taking from us.  Sandra has found this out.

Now, would I have written this without my experience from last night’s concert?  Sandra chose to join me to see Peter Gabriel's concert at the United Center, in Chicago.  Though this may not have been that unique of an experience for her, it was for me.  For whatever reason, seeing her smile through “my eyes” (sort of a pun from the song “In Your Eyes”) made the entire venue, for as far as I could see, seem holistic, simple, defining, refreshing, and ever caring.

Thank you Sandra, and thank you Jen . . .

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