Unsung Heroes 🙌
Last night held the immense privilege of attending a friend’s swearing in ceremony, officially recognizing her as a Justice with the Alberta Court of Justice. Throughout the ceremony, and cocktail party afterward, the consistent theme was: empathy + compassion, in life + in work.
I’ve known J. for a decade+ and she is the epitome of grace under pressure… she is one of the hardest workers I know and yet she somehow continues to ALSO be an engaged, trusted + present wife, mom, colleague, friend + mentor.
From a small-town Saskatchewan girl to judge is, clearly, impressive but it also took a tonne of sacrifice and effort… we’re so lucky she had the grit to make it happen because it’s people like J. who ensure our justice system has both the backbone to apply the law while also being generously cognizant of the fragility of the human experience.
As I think about last night, the speeches and the conversations, I can only smile —> a woman who has forged a path toward her dream of service through service, determination, and effort; women and men, there to celebrate her accomplishments, who also serve in a field critical to our democracy but that is also oft-misunderstood & maligned; and, a collective energy acknowledging that we are all better when we choose to respond with empathy and compassion… whether it’s holding the proverbial door open for someone with fewer resources, mentoring those who could use a little kindness + guidance, or sentencing someone who has broken the law. Every interaction has the ability to move those involved forward…or not. 🦋
Impossible, as I recall last night, to not also think about moms…
Motherhood: the most pivotal ‘job’ in the world.
Navigating:
sleepless nights with patience; melt downs + disappointments with empathy; unkind words with compassion; and all other daily yeoman efforts (and deep breaths!) because of our deep desire to raise solid + kind citizens of the world.
Citizens who will:
endeavour to be their best selves - with the knowing that they’ll sometimes let themselves or others down BUT that they have the opportunity to grow from those moments and to do better the next day;
have the desire to live with integrity, drive + passion;
follow their own dreams with authenticity, while recognizing it needn’t be at the expense of others;
and who’ll be loving toward themselves, others, and our planet.
No.small.feat.
Raising children to be engaged global citizens has never been, nor will it ever be, a straight line or a one-size-fits-all… we may encounter clashing personalities, financial hardship, strained family ties, illness, war, natural disasters, and more; BUT, throughout history, it’s the MOMS who continue to show up, to serve, to comfort, to look for consensus, and who - all.too.often. - remain the unsung heroes of our lives.
Honour the amazing moms in your life with a gift that goes beyond perfume + flowers… the experience of an empowering portrait session - done with empathy + compassion - is something I wish I could/would have gifted to my mom. A time + place for MOM to be celebrated for exactly who she is, without the need to ‘fit’ anyone else’s idea of who she ‘should be’, nor to gloss over her path to ‘here’… rather, an invitation for her to lean into + revel in her inherent beauty, strength + grace, to celebrate all she is + all she does.
The ‘for the love of moms’ contest is open to nominations through May 5th, and/or you can also buy gift cards to ensure you have a Mother’s Day gift that goes well beyond the expected. 💞
every stage of a woman’s life is worthy of professional portraiture.
Expecting.
T is mom to two, works full time, and completed her masters during the pandemic. Seen here in her grandma’s vintage fur coat just before welcoming a beautiful baby girl.
Celebrating.
After four kids and with a busy worklife, K was keen to celebrate her femininity + style. We’ve shared time in studio on a few occasions, always resulting in lots of laughs + portraits we’re both proud of.
Thriving.
After a devastating cancer diagnosis + treatment plan, J was able to have another child and is the devoted + loving mom to two amazing kids. A kind and generous soul to all who know her.
Missed.
J had never had a professional portrait in her life, a woman who was more comfortable quietly serving her beloved friends and family in the background, but - when her niece asked her chose to say ‘yes’. What a blessing that we could do this for her shortly before her Cancer battle ended. RIP Jackie, you are missed.
Grandmothering.
H’s husband gifted her a session for Christmas one year, when none of us knew the next year would prove daunting... this session was a journey marker and what a blessing it was to get a few shots of her with her daughter, who’d come to the session to support her mom. H is now a grandma to four precious grandbabies and loving life.
Baking.
A mutual friend connected us when I was looking for women to sit for me while I completed my makeup artistry course. D was about to launch her new business and so I offered headshots as a thank you. IG: @cakeifystudio_yyc
Painting.
S is an artist… while it was a headshot session, I had the idea to create something as an ode to her style of collage art, using one of her own paintings as the backdrop. IG: @artbystaceyw
Entrepreneur-ing.
This session was gifted to J as a retirement gift…she went on to design + produce a new product for long haul hikers. She now runs her successful new business while spending her free time in the mountains with her husband, pup and friends. IG: @myunightie