Applause and a Standing Ovation Please!

I want to give Marie Forbes of Forbes Photographics and Helen Eddy of Helen Eddy Photography a big round of applause and a standing ovation!

And here is why...

A few weeks back I went to visit my aunt in the nursing home where she and my uncle are living. It actually isn't a nursing home, but a convalescent hospital where 99% of the occupants are not permanent residents. My aunt and uncle somehow managed to secure a permanent resident status though I don't how or why they made that decision. It is very much like a hospital, not a place of residence. The halls are filled with nurses and people in wheelchair's and walkers trying to, as they should, convalesce. My aunt and uncle's room does have some of their personal belongings, but mostly it looks like a hospital room. With one window looking out over the alley in back. This is where they live now. All the time. It is not a cheerful place. They sit and watch television in that room all day. Save for the short walk to the exercise room, where there are weights and other items to keep them moving. There is an open courtyard (which sounds so much nicer than it really is...) that they can visit as well...but you get the picture.

So I was talking with them about my kids and what not and my aunt blurts out "I want to go back to Wellesley! I don't want to be here!" It broke my heart. She grew up in Wellesley, Mass. and spent her young adult life there as well. She moved away only after she met and married my uncle. I don't remember the last time she was able to visit there, but I would guess it's been at least 10-15 years. My aunt has trouble finding her words these days, but I could FEEL her intensity and passion about this and I really wanted to do something for her.

So when I got home I Googled the Wellesley Chamber of Commerce and came across Marie Forbes Photography. I emailed Marie and told her of my aunt and her plea to go somewhere I know she cannot go. I asked her if she had any pictures of Wellesley that I could purchase for my aunt. I was astonished at how quickly she responded! She told me that she, unfortunately, did not have any photos of Wellesley, but instead gave me a link to Helen Eddy, another photographer, that she knew did have shots of Wellesley. It was so nice to know that someone would take time to make the extra effort for a perfect stranger! Turns out she didn't just send me a link to Helen, but that she forwarded my first note to her as well because the next day I received an email from David Eddy saying that they would love to help me out. I was just overwhelmed by the eagerness of their response!

I ended up speaking to Helen about her photography of the area and I purchased two 5 x 7 prints from her that were just beautiful. She also sent me 4-5 other shots and a beautiful note card for free! And in the short time I had emailed and spoken to Helen, Marie sent me an email with 5 beautiful pictures attached,(at no charge, I must add), to give to my aunt as well.

I saw my aunt on her 89th birthday and she was so surprised and so happy to see these pictures! It was such a good feeling to give her something beautiful to look at everyday. I am touched and grateful for the kindness and generosity of two people that I have never met. So bravo to Marie and to Helen!

STAND UP AND CHEER INTERNET!