Sunday 20 March 2011

Don't bellyache over the impossible


Not being one to avoid the hard queston, I asked John if he'd had a stroke. Nope, he responded: when I was 31 I raced motor cars and took one risk too many. Totally his fault, he added.

We chatted about life choices over the intervening 41 years, he with his camera, me with mine, he with his chair, me with my cane. Two oldies road-testing d-SLRs in the manual setting, and struggling with layers of post-processing. Two oldies just getting on with the possible.


He is part of a research project to look into how people respond to catastrophic events. Why do some people condentrate on what they have lost, while others use what they have left to simply get on with it? John said that the black-dog can overwhelm at times, but the organism has a propensity to clang back to its positive trajectory.

15 comments:

Mark said...

Inspiring! Hope i'm up for it in 20years time.

Lucy Corrander said...

I wish I could take photos of people. If John gets to see these, I expect he will be pleased. They stand - even without the text.

Lucy

Genie -- Paris and Beyond said...

Oh my, Julie... What a wonderful set of portraits you have taken! I love his outlook on life and think that he lives happy and satisfied. Your title is perfect and this is a wonderful research project... we could all do with a dab of what he's selling

Have a wonderful weekend,
Genie

Rinkly Rimes said...

I love his aged hands holding on to his camera. You are a true artist.

Joe said...

Wonderful words and photos. For me this post is right up there with your "disenfranchised " post a while back. Thank you for sharing your thoughts.

Dianne said...

Love your title - love the character of the man - love the pics. Oh! if only we had more Johns in this world.

Windsmoke. said...

No good dwelling on the past or what might have been, just get on with it and live life to the full with what you've got left that's what i'm doing :-).

Peter said...

Insightful portrait - like the background story.

Joan Elizabeth said...

The legacy of those 100 strangers lives on. You do beautiful portraits and associated stories. I also admire your strength to get on with life despite what it throws at you. I feel as if my life has been barely tested,

Mary Ann said...

I could take a lesson from him.

diane b said...

Great portraits and story. Well done to both of you for getting on with life whatever it throws at you. I love your look at life through your camera.

Anonymous said...

I appreciate story that make me understand that the most important is to enjoy life now.
Very interesting Julie!

Virginia said...

What an inspiration he his. Thanks for sharing this wonderful man and his glorious spirit. I would love to see some of his work. You did a masterful job with his portraits, as usual!
V

Susan Ellis said...

Very telling portraits..I wonder if they'll ever figure out an answer to the question. Being a glass half full sort of person, I hope so.

TheChieftess said...

Delightful!!!