JULIE

. . . in her backyard . . .

She met me at the front door. We moved into the shade, I met her cats, and listened as she spoke her worries. She is not alone in these worries; I have heard many similar fears said aloud, when I go to meet with these women who want to be seen, but who have been told so many times what beauty is that they often exclude themselves from it. She had also let me know that we needed to stay close to her home, and I welcomed the challenge of taking photos in amongst the flowerbeds, bushes and shrubs.

Then we set off, seeking those spots where the sun would sparkle, glow, and eventually set.

she is a testament to strength

(like the sun goddesses of old)

she glows in a way that

only comes with time