Not Until

Today someone asked me how my career was going. I said, "Slowly." And he replied, "Shouldn't it be going more robustly?" And I struggled not to cry.

Being a careful observer before I act has a lot of drawbacks. I know I can't be other then I am but I am in a constant state of trying to gently shove that boundary open a little more. I must act more rather than wait. I am too old to wait. I always have been.

Perhaps you've read about Jen Lemen. She's part of the force behind Picture Hope and Mondo Beyondo and Shutter Sisters. She has a very good friend, Odette, who is Rwandan and has been living in the United States for four years now while her two daughters have had to remain in Africa.

Stephanie Roberts, Jen's partner in Picture Hope, posted a beautiful shot today with some words about what Jen is currently doing. When I got to this line, "I don’t know… but I’m not coming back without them.” I wept.

I am thrilled for them, in awe of Jen and Stephanie and Odette's family, frightened and ashamed of my own life. I should move beyond all that, though, because I will be so happy to see these girls I've never met reunited with their mom and I will continue to try to take a page out of their friend's book of life.