Cancer is ugly, but life is Beautiful.

Cancer is always ugly. Maybe you are one of the lucky ones who still only knows the effects from a friend of a friend. Pretty much everyone I know has a close friend or family member dealing with, recovering from, or has lost someone to cancer. I have several people close to me who have it. So far they are winning and for that I am so grateful.

I find myself infuriated by cancer and why we don't know more about it. I am sure most people feel the same. It seems, so far, that no amount of money thrown at it will be enough. There is just too much still that we can't figure out about this mysterious disease.

So what we do now is fight it the best we can physically and emotionally as well. I have no real concept of what it is like to have cancer other than the observation of my god mother and friend. Who day in and out stay in a positive frame of mind to face a barrage of invasive procedures and sickness with grace and patience.

What I get to do, on occasion, is get to know someone a little bit through my lens. I get to see who they are when they let their guard down. Or when they feel empowered and full. I get to see who they have become after experiencing something as life changing as cancer. That is what I got to do with Holly.

I had never seen Holly before she came to my studio. I will admit that after our session and her telling me that she used to be a blonde I did go peek on her Facebook page since I just couldn't imagine it! (: Personally I like her with the amazing soft brown curls that I got to see in the studio. The curls that grew back in after treatment.

The thing that I could clearly see about Holly, and that I am sure others experience as well, is that she was just so full of joy and love for life. She was so grateful to have her health back, to be going to school, planning a trip, to be doing all the things that the rest of us who are healthy get to take for granted. Today I am grateful that I get to sit here with my head cold and be grumpy about it, but that it will go away and I can begin anew with taking for granted those daily things. (Though I will try not too) I am so blessed with my healthy normal boring stuff. So maybe take a moment and be grateful for your health or pick anything that you are grateful for. It's always a good way to prioritize life and make your heart full.

                                                                        Love who you are. Right now. - Jen