Tears of Joy …

Passion is... “a thing arousing enthusiasm”.
Some say they have a passion for photography.
I say… they’re missing the point.
Passion lies before us, in the people we meet and the things we see.
Life... is a passion consisting of our experiences.

I have photographed many weddings over the years.
There was a grandfather of the Bride present at one of these occasions.
It was quite apparent that he was much loved by his family and all those who knew him.
He was a widower and riddled with arthritis, cataracts and many other maladies that aging presents.
People were very supportive of him, as I’m sure he was to others during his lifetime.

His violin was brought out to him after dinner.
The room was hushed while he played, save for the wait staff clearing the tables.
Even that was muffled by the melodies that filled the room.
I told him later that I enjoyed his music and asked him how he was able to play so beautifully.
He replied that when he played his violin, all his pains and sadness disappeared during those moments.

I took photographs of him and some of the family members while he was playing his violin. It wasn’t because of my passion for photography - it was because of my passion for the moment and all it represented. Those are very precious images in the Bride’s album.

Unfortunately, I no longer have those (film) images to share with you here.
They are however forever etched in my memory to be recalled when something reminds me of that occasion.

The image above is of a higher calling - a scattered shower over Lake Michigan - perhaps "Tears of Joy".