Two years ago I started a photography based blog and wandered over the internet looking for inspiration and help with my photography. One site would lead to another and I grew to truly understand why this world was called “the web”. Every once and awhile I would timidly reach out with a comment to a photographer that I particularly liked and wanted to emulate. Char was one of those photographers that not only inspired me but reached back out to me and encouraged me in many gentle ways. When her sudden and untimely death was reported and discussed throughout the blogging world I was stuck with sadness as many others were…In fact I was surprised how deeply saddened I was, after all I had never met her face to face nor seen a picture of her. This led me to think about the nature of these internet friendships…what are they made of…what makes us connect? I have learned that these friendships are real enough to suffer loss when a tie is broken. Char made it easy to connect to because she wrote so well that her kindness and humor stood out and because she made an extra effort to do so. Like many others I will miss her and will try to remember her through the words she used on her profile…
”life is too short to waste a single day: eat cookies, dance when no one is looking, and try to be as happy as you can.”
…and I will think of her every time I take a photo of flowers in an old blue jar.
22 comments:
beautiful tribute. our blogs met up with one another a while back but for whatever reason we didn't keep connected. from all the posts i have read over the last several days about her, i apparently missed out on getting to know a wonderful person.
with tears in my eyes i write....
yes..Char was a kind and wonderful woman...we connected too over this thing we call a blog...in fact, i am LUCKY enough to say that some of my most prized friendships i have today are from fellow bloggers...people i have never met in person or even know what they look like...but we have a connection...and we are FRIENDS...my heart ached when i read about Char...and i can't get her out of my mind....
yours is a heartfelt tribute...
we will dance...eat cookies...and remember a kind and lovely friend...
remembering Char and sending love,
Kary
So sweet and touching. Mason jars will forever remind me of her now ~
Oh my gosh, until I read this post I had no idea she was gone! I'm so sad for her real and her virtual family.
I'll join you in taking occasion photos of flowers in mason jars and think of her when I do.
I don't know why you told me you couldn't write, Gail. This is a beautiful tribute to a very dear friend. And it doesn't matter if you never met, or don't even know what she looked like -- we have all shared her tears and her laughter, and we are all the better for it.
xoxo
this is a lovely tribute. the word of Char's sudden passing seems to be winding its way slowly. it all so sad.
A lovely tribute to Char...I too was struck by the words she had written on her profile..."life is too short...". Thanks for your beautiful words Gail.
Char touched so many lives, both here and in her family. She will live on in her writings and in her photos, and in the hearts of those who loved her and held her dear.
I am unbelievably sad.
This is heartfelt and lovely, my friend.
i agree with you about being surprised by how much sadness we actually felt with her dying....
char was such an angel to all of us that knew her....and the blue mason jar truly is one of her signatures.....
xo
The shock of losing Char still has me numb. It's beautiful and stunning that she had those words on her photo blog. Her photos and words were always tender and insightful. Like Kary, some of my dearest friends are bloggers. I've stopped justifying it to non-bloggers. Connecting through the heart happens in these spaces we call home. Thank you for your lovely tribute to our friend.
Beautiful, beautiful images.....
I didn't know Char until her passing, her writing and photos were wonderful...
Sadly I did not know, Char, and just recently heard the sad news about her passing. I think our virtual friendships through blogs are very real and the sadness so mnay have shown for Char prove it! My deepest sympathy to all who knew her.
what a lovely post about your internet friend. it's amazing how we can make these connections and never even meet face to face. (i bought 2 blue jars in Maine last week and will think of her when i get around to photographing them).
hello .. it is pretty painful , I agree .. so sudden . She really was such a faithful encouraging friend ..
your tribute in words and photo is very special ~
thank you for this lovely tribute...my blogging time is still fairly new; yet, char inspired me to carry on and grow... i miss her, and am oh so grateful that i had an opportunity to know her - even if it was fleeting... -xok.
This is a lovely post. Char was amazingly kind, just as you described. Thanks for posting this and for letting me know you wrote it. I will make sure others see it too.
Peace,
Mandy
an absolutely wonderful tribute.
I still can't quite wrap my head around it either.
hugs,
deb
oh my heart. i had no idea char had passed away. she was a lovely woman who encouraged me often on my photography/blogging journey. thank you for this.
beautiful tribute to our blogging friend. Char was always an encourager, an inspiration.
these online friendships are real, very real - i miss her.
I have been largely away from blogging for the past month, so I had no idea until today, Char's birthday, that she had passed away. I learned of her passing this morning on facebook when I went to post a birthday greeting on her wall. So many people expressed loss and sadness there, yet many clearly still don't realize that she is gone.
This is a beautiful, beautiful post, my friend. I felt just the same way about Char. What a gifted artist, friend, and mentor. Though I only knew her through blogging and photography, her talent, grace, and generosity were obvious to me from day one. I will sorely miss her.
with love and thanks,
Gigi
I miss her too...
xo
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