One of our best friends sent my husband and me a text saying, "Read this..  it's 5 minutes."

At first, I wasn't able to access the link, so I told myself I'll come back to it.  ..... Let me back up...

I recently lost a good friend of mine that I somewhat lost touch with over the years.  We ran into each other this past January at a Chikfila restaurant, and we hugged and spoke for a few minutes.  Just "the highlights."  He had a young family, a beautiful wife and a really fitting job working at his church.  He had a really big laugh and he was an overwhelming 6'3'' or more!  He was a really big, kind personality. He was only a year older than me when he had a massive heart attack while traveling to attend his Grandmother's funeral.  There weren't any words available when I read, "Chris passed away yesterday."  I was numb, confused, terribly sad for his family, and completely frozen in time for a few seconds.  I initially thought, "Geez, that could easily have been me."

Fast forward to this text my best guy, Dan, sent us.  It's one thing to get great texts and great laughs from Dan, but then I get reminders like, "Did you read it yet...?"  He's like a spiritual personal assistant.

I logged onto my computer because it's one thing to get a text from Dan, but when you get a "reminder text;" you better read on.

It was about a photographer who spent the year taking pictures of her Mom and Dad as they respectively fought cancer.  There were pictures of hand-holding, laughs, silence, hugs and tears.  It only took about 3-5 minutes to read and watch the video about these lives, but it had me thinking about quite a few things that connected the dots of my life at the moment.

Time is short.  We all say, "How Time Flies..." because it does.  I pray that anyone reading this may never have to go through the pain of losing a parent or someone you love.  But I was touched in the fact that this daughter had the chance to take pictures of the real version of her parents.  It was a gift for her to spend the last year focusing on the really small parts of her parents that she wanted to remember.  Her images are of holding hands that held her when she was little.  They hugged her when she needed comfort.  Or when she needed security from heartache. I find myself taking pictures of hands often because there's something about this unbreakable bond and the intimacy between hands pressed together. Something that says, "I'll hold your hand and guide you through this life walk as I stand by your side."  I mean, isn't this what our hands are supposed to do-- guide, protect, hold and pray?  It's beautiful.

To tie it all up, here's why I love what I do.  I get to meet people in the midst of their lives or whatever "walk" they are on.  I get smiley pictures, I get tears, I get the look for admiration when a Mom holds her new baby, and I get to take shots of elation and tears as a new Dad finds out he's going to be a Dad!  It's a gift to do what I do..  and to meet the amazing people I get to meet.  These "clients" turn into friends--  some even turn into pseudo-family.

The pictures I get to take are ways of locking in time to remember what part of the life walk you are on.  And the simple text from Dan was more than just a "READ THIS."  It's a reminder that we're lucky to have people in our lives who are watching out for our hearts.  For our souls.  That sometimes we need whispers or even bricks to the head to re-adjust our spiritual compass.  I needed to take the time to read this story, but I blew it off.. like so many other times before.  

Dan, we love you.  I am so very thankful for your friendship.  You always wonder if you mean something to someone.  If what you do is good enough.  Let me tell you Dan, you and Des are beacons.  We don't know how we got so lucky with you in our lives!

I'm very thankful for all the friendships and relationships I have built through this small venture in my life called photography.  Many blessings to all of you, and thank you for allowing me to take the Portraits of your Lives.

If you are interested, here is the link: #CBSnews #CBS

http://www.cbsnews.com/news/nancy-borowicks-portrait-of-a-family/