Help-Portrait...A Reflection.

Some of you may recall back in August when I first blogged about local photographer Jeremy Cowart's seemingly unbridled idea of another way to give back during the holiday's: Help-Portrait. To say I loved the idea would be an understatement, but in the end I figured it would be a local 'Nashville thing' that would be 'neat.' It was more like a 'World' thing that I for one would describe as 'epic.'

Out of privacy and (moreso) respect, from the beginning there was an agreement not to share pictures of the individuals and familes from the actual day. So...as you can see, there are no pictures with this post. However, there is something a bit richer to be shared: stories.

As the day started, the location was buzzing with excitement as a community of photographers, hair & make-up artists, volunteers, sponsors and news stations swarmed around the location leading up to 'start-time.' We had no idea whether 40 or 400 people would show up, so as the time arrived, a bit of anxiousness set in.

Then it happened. The first face, the first life, the first real story walked in the doors, and all of a sudden it wasn't about the buzz. It became real as stories started flowing, and faces began smiling.

There was one story in particular that personally just grabbed my heart, and I would like to share it with you.

Her name we will say was N. N approached my set-up with a bit of sheepishness, and certainly a humbled woman. She had never had any sort of professional picture taken of her before.

So to help break the ice, I asked a simple question, "So N, who is this picture for?"

"My miracle boy."

"Miracle boy?" I ask. "Why is he your miracle boy."

N went on to tell me a bit of her story. She told me how she had fought and beat both breast cancer and ovarian cancer, which in its own right is a miracle story in and of itself. But of course, there is more. N was trying to have children, but lingering effects of the chemo and radiation were waging war with her system. She ended up getting pregnant four times...and she lost all.four.children.

She then became teary-eyed and went on to tell me how she was finished, and she was ready to take her own life. Then it happened. She got pregnant again...and grace abounded. Thirteen years ago she had her miracle child, a baby boy, and life had meaning again. She then, as any proud parent would, goes on to tell me stories about her boy with a smile from ear to ear. (By the way, he's no ordinary boy...just one of the stories is that at 11 years old he became the youngest Red Cross volunteer where he lives)

Every time I think back on that day (12.12.09) I get chills...and sometimes emotionally overwhelmed. To remember how a simple picture brought so much worth to someone just takes my breath away. I'm so very thankful I got to be a part of Help-Portrait, and I'm already excited for the ways in which 2010 will allow me to use my gift to richen someone elses life.