I believe that there are ways that all of us, no matter what it is that we have to contribute, can reach out and give to others. Because I happen to be a photographer, I seek out a few, carefully chosen worthy causes and organizations and I give photography.
The funny thing is -- and I really can’t say why this is the case -- I generally don’t “go public” about my volunteer photographic work. More often than not I don’t write blog posts about my volunteer shoots, and I seldom talk about that work in everyday conversations with friends. It just kind of seems to me like volunteerism is something that needs to be done for reasons of pure giving, not because we’ll look good in the eyes of others if they know what swell, compassionate individuals we are.
The thought hit me this week, however, that we humans are all bombarded every day and from every direction by bad-news stories, and that maybe there are times when we might benefit by hearing a good-news tale, if only because it’ll warm our hearts.
I volunteer for a foundation called Soulumination whose mission is to provide free photographs to families who have loved ones with life-threatening illnesses. Twenty-some photographers in the region shoot for this foundation. Several weeks ago I did a “Soul” shoot, making portraits of a young wife and mother of Japanese descent. This week I received a box from Japan. There was a thank you note enclosed, the young woman’s mother writing to say how precious the photographs are to the family.
The mother also sent 1000 small paper cranes -- strung together and tipped with blue beads, wrapped is tulle decorated with butterflies -- that she had folded by hand as a thank-you and a good-luck wish to the foundation for its work.
