Work goes on: working through adversity

I’ll be perfectly frank. I’ve had a rough time the last few weeks. On July 17 my mother passed away. She was 88. Here’s my story about working through adversity.

Her passing was not expected until the last few days. Her physical condition had deteriorated to the point that she had to move into a skilled nursing care center. While there her physical and mental health seriously declined. Yet we made plans for her to stay at the center long term, even though she didn’t want that.

It had come to the point where she couldn’t stay home. It seems strange, but in June she was up and around doing things for herself. In July she couldn’t do anything for herself.

While she didn’t like being away from home, the nursing home staff did all they could to help her, care for her and accommodate her needs and wishes. They were good to her and I knew she was in good hands.

I guess it was just her time. The staff sent her to the hospital after she started passing out in her room. She lived about three more days until her heart finally gave out.

My point in sharing this personal story was to talk about what happened after. She died on a Friday. A day later I was booked to photograph a wedding. In theory her death couldn’t have come at a worse time. I didn’t know what state I would be in at the wedding. One thing I knew, though, is that I had to proceed with the wedding. I knew I couldn’t call up the bride and groom and tell them I couldn’t photograph their wedding.

So I worked the wedding as usual and managed to keep it together. In a way it was a distraction from what was going on with me personally. The only time that proved difficult for me was while watching the mother-son dance. They danced to a sentimental song and I admit I shed a few tears.

I didn’t tell anyone at the wedding about my mother. I didn’t want to put any damper on their day or make them worry about me and the work I would do for them.

The wedding and the photos turned out good, and the following weekend I worked yet another wedding.

So yes that age-old saying that “life goes on” is true. And work goes on as well.