Description
This piece is deeply personal to me. It is a tribute, both to the friend who is pictured and to the one who is not. It honors the bond we shared and the horses that initially brought the three of us together those many years ago.
I made numerous long-distance drives to this farm that year. My friend and owner of Whippoorwill Hollow welcomed me into her home each time; and in return I happily pitched in to help with the chores of farm life. This barn became my sanctuary. The place where, away from the hustle and bustle of my usual daily routine and responsibilities, I was reminded who I truly am.
The purpose of these trips was to visit with the friend who is not pictured. Each day began and ended in this barn with Sharon and the horses. But the in-between time found us preparing food and delivering it to Dee and her family; Precious meals and visits, shared with a sister-friend in the end stages of breast cancer.
Dee’s unwavering trust in God, throughout her illness, was an inspiration to everyone who knew her. She became my personal hero after my own diagnosis. This photo was taken the last weekend the three of us were together. My cancer fight had been won. Dee’s fight ended a few short weeks later; but in a different way than my own. Dee is no longer in the picture. But she lives on in the hearts of those who still love her.
This picture encourages me to pause, and be thankful for those cherished sister-friends my Heavenly Father has blessed me with.
You can follow my photographic journey at www.facebook.com/MMBarbePhotos/.
