My NW Indiana and More: A day of music for Vanessa

This day (5/2/2013), the day I went to photograph, is the 1-year anniversary of Vanessa's passing, and the re-celebration of her life. However, I am writing this blog in the early morning of May 11th, nine days after.

I was at Paul Henry's Art Gallery last year, when the family put together a remembrance of Vanessa. I did not know her, but I know her brother Andy. Andy invited me. Andy, a person out of the blue, sort of, that barely knew me invited me. I have to say Andy, it was wonderful. I am glad you did.

This day (5/2/2013) we met at the Thorn Creek Woods Nature Preserve in Park Forest. When Andy invited me it was an automatic, yes - I will. I know him better now. I wanted to support him and Vanessa's family. Brother Lou was there, and sister Sophia was there. Don't be shocked . . . no they are not Andy's brother and sister. I say it that way because when you support someone like this, you feel part of the family. The love, and the burden, are shared among all who are there.

From what I have seen Vanessa loved the arts. She became fulfilled when around and doing them. She inspired Andy, and I will say right now, at this moment, she has inspired me. I will tell you why in a little while.

When I was there that Thursday I felt the family's loss. The depth of their emptiness, the depth of their love, their need to still grieve. I felt inspired to take photographs, and to write. However, as soon as I got home I became distracted and could not bring up the experience, to properly help celebrate Vanessa's life of the years before her passing . . . until now.

For the past few days I have felt a loneliness. Sort of a black hole feeling. I have just recently lost. To have lost, you had to have good feelings, emotions, thoughts, desires, dreams, happiness in front of you. Love. When taken away, it becomes a loss. Now, I have not lost like Andy and his family have. Though for me, it still involves the same emotions. Just not as deep, and I would think not as long . . . still working on that one. Being in touch with my loss brought me back to this day for Vanessa. I became happy this early early morning (5/11/2013), and actually now teared.

Though I never knew Vanessa, I know Andy. Through Andy, I know Vanessa. I see the love, the desire to be free and be happy. The love of the arts in the forms that bring us individually different joys. For me it is photography. For the last couple of days I thought I had lost that feeling because of my loss, the happy feeling I get when I photograph. Then I thought of Vanessa this night (5/10/2013) and a smile came to me, a delight, a renewed feeling that I have not lost. I just have to renew. This is what Andy and his family are doing. This has now become my joy and desire now to complete this blog post.

Right now, when I think about "A day of music for Vanessa", I can feel what I felt that day. My loss put me back in touch with that feeling. Again, mine not at all like Andy's loss, however, the feelings are still there. I think of how everyone celebrated Vanessa in their own way. Brother Lou playing music for us. Sister Sophia clown'n around with me outside taking photos. Andy playing music, and creating a new song at the same time. So with that, I have some photos for you to look at. As you look, reflect on a loss you may have had, or are having at this moment like I am. Look for the remembrance, the joy, the love, the dreams, the happiness that this one lady, Vanessa, has brought to her family, and now to me. It is time to renew. Do not let the photos fool you . . . we are all smiling as we read this and look at the photos, because of Vanessa and her family.

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Please forgive me. I took a lot of photos of Sophia because it was fun. I rarely get the chance, so I took advantage of this opportunity. I hope you enjoy them!