My friend and colleague, Rachael, did a beautiful thing for me recently. Rachael is a scientist who’s also a gifted photographer, among other things. She insists that taking pictures is just a hobby, but her work is totally pro and Cambridge University Press recently purchased a collection of her photos as illustrations for a forthcoming textbook. Then she used the proceeds to buy herself a better camera. She’s really an amateur in the true, original sense of the word – doing something for the love of it rather than for financial reasons (the word derives from the Latin amare, meaning “to love”).
Even before she got her new camera, she and her husband invited me over for dinner one evening. She’s Jewish and I was already feeling very blessed and welcomed because it was Passover and she was having a seder. Then as we shared stories in the kitchen, she told me that she’d talked it over with her husband and decided that she’d like to support my upcoming work in Taiwan by giving me her old camera – a very nice SLR.
I can’t tell you how humbled and touched I am by her generosity. She knew that I love photography, and it was such a thoughtful gift to empower me to better show (as well as tell) my dear ones at home what I’m experiencing when I’m living 8000 miles away. And now I find myself looking at things a little more attentively.
So here’s to another way of learning to see! Rachael gave me the camera about a week ago, and I took the photo above the next day – morning sun and my more usual communication implements.
beautiful photo, aud. even more beautiful story. i got your update and am humbled as well.
Thanks, Andy! It’s nice to be able to share stories like this. Take good care – you and your students!