Amy McVaugh, 4.14.13, Images for Critique

 This past week was kind of a rough one for me. My best friend dropped dead 10 months ago, unexpectedly. He always loved surprises and doing things his way...one day, he's going to know how pissed off I am at him for this little stunt.

 Until then, I miss his booming laugh and bizarre talks about life/death and everything in between. He loved wondering about the afterlife (don't worry, this ties into my pictures),  ghostly scary movies and 'strange' happenings. He loved life, people, and had a compassionate personality rivaled by none. He was brilliant, funny and always there for anyone who needed it. His faith in God was deep and personal to him.
His greatest loves in life were his daughter and wife, and he took every opportunity to be an outrageously devoted father and adoring husband. As my friend, he had my complete trust and more than once proved to be a rock. We marveled at how 'things happened for a reason' and of course tie it into something weird or supernatural. Sometimes we'd stay late after work 'pondering' this or that, sometimes serious, sometimes laughing so hard our cheeks hurt and tears poured from our eyes.

The reason I point all of this out is because this is what Gordon Stettinius images 'said' to me. Love life, embrace it, cherish those you love, be kind to those you don't, try to live with no regrets and don't take things so seriously you miss out on the good stuff. Really live while you have time, because who actually knows what happens when we close our eyes for the last time? Will anyone care? Will you?


This past Saturday, April 13, my friend had a flag pole dedicated in his honor by the PYAA Girls Fast pitch Softball teams. Tom had coached and served on the directors board for the girls and they all loved him.
 My pictures were inspired this way: First pic: believe in something that inspires your life, no matter what it is. Make it beautiful and stand up so you matter and make a difference for someone else. Even when your gone, the effects are still visible.
 Second pic: Try really hard to be a good person. Everyone should have a rainbow of people to miss you when your gone, and a few hard core fans that will never let your memory fade.
Third pic: Look closely at the inscription on the back of this tombstone. Lesson? A little mischief  can be fun...don't always take life too seriously, and always make time to laugh.

I'm so glad I happened upon Gordon Stettinius this week. I really needed some quirkiness!