This was going to be a short article referencing Valentine’s Day, as it is just around the corner. I then ended up getting sidetracked on a personal rant on how I don’t appreciate commercial Valentine’s Day very much – and then scrapped all of it. It did not seem right to vent my own feelings on this day when the images I had chosen to go along with this little text are very genuine, warm and from the heart. So I’m saving that rant for another year and focusing on the important sentiments.
I have been touched by one of our residents, as she approached me for a Valentine’s portrait with her husband. The unusual part of the request was the fact that her husband had passed about 1 1/2 years ago.
She stopped me in my stride one morning as I was gearing up for a busy day and I am so glad she did. She brought a frame with her husband’s photo, hoping I would somehow be able to produce a reasonable shot with it. We sat in the library by the window, as she shared how prior to moving into our retirement home, she stayed with her husband in long term care in order to be able to take care of him.
While we were talking, I noticed her husband’s wedding band – she carries it, now shaped into a heart, with her on a necklace, always close to her heart. I thank Dorothy for allowing me that brief glimpse into her previous life and the powerful reminder that love is so much more than bouquets, cards and chocolates.
Thanks to Dorothy for allowing me to share this moment together.
Slow Down. Take A Breath. Take A Photograph. 
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