Doors

If you read my blogs on a regular basis then you know about how a few doors were closed recently in my life. My initial reaction to this was feelings of anger, disappointment and foolishness. I really believed that my loyalty to a company and a group of people who had built a business based on principles and values would always see me through. I had turned down handfuls of job offers, many offering more money, while employed with this company because I truly believed in what we worked hard for; serving our country. I had put my job before my family countless times; to the point where the option of divorce was discussed. And the irony of this is the company I worked for always said the priorities were God, Country and Family...but this job was the driving force in our problems at home. I learned though that at the end of the day the cold hard fact is still there, they were like all other businesses. When you strip away the passion to build a company on a foundation of trust, honesty, mutual respect, etc... they were like all other companies.

Well that was now two weeks ago and I have to say I feel like different person. I have had a dream to build my own business for years now. I have always had an entrepreneur spirit about me. I believe God gave me talents and abilities and I need to use them to do something I love. With much discussion and planning, Steven and I sat down and decided that this is the perfect moment for me to make my dream a reality.

My dream is to have a business that specializes in fine portraiture and customized stationary. Photography is something that has always been a part of my life. My father is a very talented photographer; he has an eye for God's beauty and a passion to capture it. And my first real job in high school was working for an amazingly talented photographer, Walter Eagleton, at his photo studio. Looking back, I believe it was my father and Walter's passion for photography that brought it out in me. I feel that photography is the only medium that can truly capture and speak the moment. It is powerful and life changing. No other medium can depict joy, passion and love but at the same time show sorrow, pain and heartache. I can honestly say that I am passionate about photography.

The interest to combine my photography with customized stationary comes from my past 7 years of work in the graphic design industry. I love creating birth announcements, wedding invitations, greeting cards, etc.. and to combine this with the photography just seemed like the perfect partnership.

Alexander Bell once said, "When one door closes, another opens; but we often look so long and so regretfully upon the closed door that we do not see the one which has opened for us." I am grateful that a chapter has ended in my life, and a new one is upon me. And I have my #1 fan behind me, encouraging me, supporting me, and most importantly, believing in me. Thank you Steven.