Do you remember when you started out? When Joel was only 2 months old and you would study “How To Use Your Camera” PDF’s at 2AM while nursing him? Do you remember that as your business grew you started to meet other photographers………..and that’s when you realized how they all fall into 2 categories that you labeled 1. Humble, blessed, heartfelt passion, & 2. Cocky, arrogant, self entitled?  Do you remember how disappointed you felt when you realized that the very people who capture the history of families, where the same people who made you worry about the human races ability to truly love? Those who act as if no one any where in the world could possible be better or more successful than them? Remember how your heart broke a little at the realization you would never be joining into the middle of that group. But look at where you are now. It is a beautiful place for sure. A heart full of love.

We made a promise to ourselves then to never become the 2nd of those two groups………….and we never have.  They have laughed for years behind our back because we are simply kind……….arrogance sees kindness as weakness………people who are truly kind know that arrogance is just a weak hearts way of protecting itself.  Arrogant people can not learn or adjust to new things. Clay can be molded into new shapes if it is needed, metal can be melted and remade into stronger products, but not all things in this world can be repaired or changed into the better, some only break if pushed to the limit.

A rising tide lifts all boats………..

If your tide only ever lifts you, you just might be doing it wrong. Never forget that.

So to all of you who are just starting out in any artistic creative field, who have negativity being thrown at you in waves, who see the arrogant people looking as though they are succeeding beyond you…….just wait, continue to sow goodness into the world around you, it will be returned unto you…….just as their arrogance will be returned to them……and as the years pass you will see them as their true selves and you will no longer see any strength in the sadness within them, only a child like need to be seen at all cost.

There is winning and there is succeeding on all fronts. One is quick but fades away, one takes an amazing amount of work and pushes you beyond who you thought you were and it changes you into an amazing person if you stay humble and gracious.

It is always your choice. Choose wisely.