virtual friends

do you have any "virtual" friends?  ones that you communicate with online but have never met?  friends are vitally important to us... and i've realized over the last few days that it doesn't really matter whether we've met them face-to-face or not; a friend is a friend is a friend... you share pieces of yourself with them and they with you... you give your heart and it's a wonderful thing...a precious thing that cannot be measured. 

i've met some incredible people from around the world via a photo journal online over the last 10 months.  more than i expected, i have become close to them through sharing bits of myself through my photographs every day.  one of these individuals died suddenly this past weekend causing a ripple of shock through the community.... we just didn't expect it and were caught off guard by how greatly she had affected all of us with her journal.  in recent weeks, she was developing an affinity towards flowers and was shooting quite a number of them.

i shot this one in her honor today...  it seemed fitting that the day was cold, rainy, windy and sometimes the skies cut loose with hail.  molly would've found that "spot on"...

so as i found this standing alone, strong and tall, resilient in the weather - i will remember molly... for she was strong, resilient and determined to live life to the fullest... in honoring her, there will be many memories, laughs and smiles for all she shared and in the end, that does make this a

happy day.....