Hi. If you’ve met me, you might’ve noticed that I don’t really hold still.
Many have tried to fix this. One of my teachers (2nd grade?) felt that backbends over my chair while she lectured were a sign of frustration or failure to grasp the material.
I remember looking at adults at that age, thinking that if they’d run instead of walk, they’d get places faster.
I was utterly devastated when junior high came and recess stopped being about actually running and playing, and everyone just started standing around. …you get the picture. I was (and am) that kid.
WHAT DOES THIS STORY ABOUT YOU HAVE TO DO WITH THAT WORD YOU MADE UP?!?

…ONE YEAR AGO TODAY…I was 2nd shooting a wedding for this girl named Emily. Lovely couple, we worked well together, fun wedding all around.
During the reception, as we’re chatting, Emily looks at me out of the blue and asks me if I enjoy editing (photos). She continues that she noticed my energy and she couldn’t imagine me sitting still for hours.
I confessed that I not only didn’t love it, but it was super challenging for me, and that with the current state of the world, I was buried under an actual mountain of editing (and too depressed to be doing a great job of digging myself out).
This ‘until today stranger’ looks at me and tells me that she loves my photography style and the fact that I still do a “clean edit.” (ie - no creative editing, just plain ol real life). (This is for relevance, I swear.) And as we’re chatting, it comes up that she edits for a few other photographers I know.
Pause story for one sec - I’ve been ‘looking for an editor’ for years. I always find a laundry list hurdles and get frustrated and give up.
Back to the story - we finish the wedding - suuuper fun day. I hand off the photos I took and I’m DONE. The End. Cool story, right?
Except…did you see the part in the story where this person just SAW me…liked me for me…and then showed me this way life could be better and more mine, without any effort whatsoever to change me or ‘fix’ me.
I was not in a trusting/’open to new people and things’ place in life when Emily popped in. Yet somehow one year later, I absolutely do not want to imagine my personal or professional life without her. (And clients, from your comments, I know you love her too.)

Happy Em-Aversary, Emily! Thanks for being you.