Thoughts on Bethany
My niece, Bethany, has been Facebooking questions to me about her first maternity portrait session asking:
"Auntie, how far along should I be before I get maternity portraits done?"
"Around 7 months, Beth." I replied.
"Auntie, what do you think I should wear for my maternity portraits?"
"Don't worry, I have many things to drape you beautifully. You'll be just fine, darling." I said, as I do for any new expectant mother who comes to me for their first session. They have so much going on, as many of you can relate; the last thing they need is to have a portrait session and its' preparation to be anything less than easy.
Bethany and Derek arrived last Friday all giggly and exuberant. I was so busy staring at Bethany, who waddled into the camera room, and the fact that my gorgeous, slim niece was now oddly shaped and barely able to walk. After a few 'Forrest Gump' head tilts, I shook myself out of that movie and came back to earth.
Okay.
So.
Well, she's going to have a baby.
I guess.
In my mind, that never grows old, she's just the little girl who declared, from the moment she could speak, my name would be Auntie, and all children of my siblings who followed her, shall indeed call me Auntie, too.
The session was going quite well. She said she felt beautiful. She smiled with exuberance, throwing back her head. She held close to Derek with nimble and long fingers that reached out to embrace him. She gazed into the camera with bright, jubilant eyes and she laughed at everything I said. She sat on the floor, belly in lap and looked past the camera lens and into my soul. Tears began to stream down my face. The camera's viewfinder began to fog.
In her smile I saw my mother. Her laugh, I saw myself. In her eyes, I saw my dear Grandmother, Martha. And when she sat, belly in lap, and reached into my heart; I saw my pregnant little sister Tracey, sitting next to me some thirty-years ago, wondering... who this child she was carrying would turn out to be.
Life has a way of taking hold of you and shaking you up. A way of lifting you up when you didn't even know you required lifting. A way of replenishing your soul when you didn't even know it was wanting.
Life is beautiful.
Life, is Art.
Congratulations, Bethany and Derek
Lv, Auntie.
