Like a Plant
MORE LIKE A PLANT THAN LIKE A JEWEL
"To be a good human being is to have a kind of openness to the world, an ability to trust uncertain things beyond your own control, that can lead you to be shattered in very extreme circumstances for which you were not to blame. That says something very important about the condition of the ethical life: that it is based on a trust in the uncertain and on a willingness to be exposed; it’s based on being more like a plant than like a jewel, something rather fragile, but whose very particular beauty is inseparable from that fragility.”
― Martha Nussbaum
I believe this is at the heart of faith. Having faith to pursue your dreams (and maybe fail) and reflect on the story you live in takes courage. My series Fragile Potential is based on the philosophy of seeing nature as a reminder to stay open to challenges, allow yourself to be vulnerable, and remain in integrity with your aspirations. The words "being more like a plant than like a jewel" struck a chord with me and inspires me to continue to be curious about why I make the work I do.
I continue to read, make photographs, review them, and read some more so that I can feel connected to the world. There is a discussion that happens between the words or images of others and the purposeful images I make. It helps me to feel like I am a part of something bigger than myself.