In the end only kindness matters...

I sometimes see it on the streets, in the office and in stores. People merely walking through life with no passion or purpose, simply going through the daily motions. You can see it in their eyes - completely dead and tired. I promised myself when I became a lawyer that I would never become a corporate slave or desk drone, and I can honestly say that after twelve years I haven't. For most, finding your purpose or passion in life is a long journey but for one man it came instantaneously. It was in Crossville, Tennessee that I met Horace Burgess, builder of the world's largest tree house. It all began in 1993 when Horace had a vision from God telling him to build a tree house. In the vision, God promised Horace he would never run out of materials if he followed God's will. So, Horace embarked on the project and began construction with the goal of making the structure open to everyone. The "people's house," as he calls it. I've said many times that I'm not a religious person, but Horace's story really touched me. Let's continue...( Read more... )

The mind is often engaged in trickery, particularly when it comes to human relations. We create illusions and fantasies about others, mentally molding them into the person we wish them to be rather than letting actual words and actions be the guide. In relationships, this is usually a very dangerous game. Women, as overly emotional creatures, are probably more susceptible to this phenomenon than men. In my younger years, I was a master at twisting the actions and words of others, conforming them to my particular needs at the moment. But with age comes wisdom and I think I'm now a good judge of character, though human and certainly capable of being deceived. Usually I'm only close with a few people at any given moment and these people I know extremely well, so well that I can almost read their minds and anticipate their actions and responses in most situations. People still disappoint and surprise me on occasion, but it's now much easier to weed out toxic people and conserve my time and energy for those worthy of it.

Sometimes this game of illusions can be fun, particularly in travels. In every city, I photograph people from afar and occasionally in close proximity with permission. Certain faces, smiles or behavior attract my attention and then my mind begins to wander. Who is this person? From where do they come? What's their life story? Has it been an easy or hard road for them? During a recent trip to Tennessee we encountered a lot of colorful people. A joy to photograph them and many wanted to take time to chat. Something recently where everyone on the street wants to speak with me. I have no idea why, but it's a good thing for travel stories.

I know most of my readers are intelligent, but how creative are you? Let's play a game and focus on the people in the following portraits and cover photo.( Read more... )