Out of the Darkness Community Walk 2012 | South Bend, IN

I had a really special honor on Saturday, to photograph an event that brings to the surface a really tough subject: suicide.

This was the second time an event like this took place in the South Bend area, and I was really humbled to be able to be a part of it once again.

Did you know … There are over 30,000 suicides in the United States each year. It's the fourth leading cause of death for adults between the ages of 18 and 65 years in the United States. 90% of people who die by suicide have a diagnosable and treatable psychiatric disorder at the time of their death.

We must learn the warning signs and learn more about what we can do to help those who are uncertain of how to help themselves.

Out of the Darkness Community Walks do just that. They happen all over the country and are directly associated with the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, which is the leading national not-for-profit organization exclusively dedicated to understanding and preventing suicide.

Walks like this are organized to help survivors of suicide - to connect them with others who are in the exact same place - who need the shoulder of another to help them along the way.

I was very thankful to meet some amazing new friends and be inspired by their stories - and their strength. Thankful to see such beautiful camaraderie and 'togetherness'. ♥

To learn more about how you can be a part of this cause, to join a community walk in your area, or to simply learn more about the risk factors and warning signs, please visit http://www.afsp.org/. 

Time Out

It's amazing how time goes at this warp speed. It's like you have these plans, and things you want to accomplish, but time some how, always interferes.

When I was 'growing up', the only thing I ever thought about was 'growing up'. Why at such a young age, do we want to 'grow up'? I ask myself that question - a lot. The days seem endless when we're young. Now, they pass by us, at lightning speed.

As I've lived - as I've learned - time is most certainly, so short these days; my desire is to cherish every moment - to never take ANYTHING for granted. After all, we're not promised tomorrow. And if it were my time to go today, I wouldn't want to look back on my life and see a sea of regrets.

I sit and think about all of the amazing blessings in my life. I watch my son Eli, growing up right before my eyes, and I'm simply amazed by him. I can't say it enough that he is the JOY of my life. I'm so lucky God thought enough of me to let me become a mom. WOW. What an amazing gift.

I marvel at this life - the people in it; the ups and downs - the sometimes daily struggle to just be the people we are. Life shouldn’t be about the things we don’t have, but about the things/people that are right in front of us. It’s a shame it takes us so long to figure that out. But, perhaps that’s why new beginnings and second chances are a part of it all - why we're given this precious gift of TIME - even when being a grown up is a little difficult some days - even when time goes by, at warp speed.

We will always dream of hope, of change…yet, there is so much struggle for meaning, for purpose, and only in the end do we find it in each other…in the fantastic, in the mundane, the simple human need to find a kindred, and to know in the end that we are not alone…and that all we need is each other.

My son Eli will be a year old, Dec. 12th. Amazed at how fast this first year has gone. So blessed to be his mom. Can't wait for the many more moments ahead. :)