My Heroes Have Always Been...
Let's get this straight, I mean straighter than a ruler, an arrow in flight, a Koufax fastball, an answer from your father when you were 16...I don't have many heroes outside of my home. Nope. Love people with great talent like some of the great photographers I know, or the wonderful clarinetists that Eva has introduced me to over the years, or the many athletes I have met in my life from Micky Mantle (I really did meet him) to Eric Heiden who I once raced against on the bike, and Calvin Murphy (I had a really nice chat with him) the amazing basketball player. Respected these guys but no, they were not my "heroes." I suppose the few heroes I have had are the ones who work in nature. Jane Goodall (who I also met and spoke to), comes to mind for me. Many war vets and war writers who put their lives on the line. Those amazing firefighters and police who almost never back down and are called into service at a moment's notice to risk their lives. Special force units who have to coordinate their actions in order to save the lives of others. Our great doctors and surgeons, especially the ones with hands of gold. Those incredibly bright people who invent things not for the profit it will bring them, but for the amount of good they will do for the world. Doctors Without Borders and the many NGOs and volunteer agencies and people who give of themselves and their time just to make a difference. Oh, this is Saturday morning and I am ever so humbled and all to have gotten up today and just felt a bit thankful.
I leave with an image of mine of the ever-so-talented Jasa Veremalua. He has played rugby at a high level since 2012 and won a Gold Medal in the Olympics as a member of the Fijian Seven's team. He is so very humble as well. I got to photograph him (along with all the other members of the Tel Aviv Heat) last year.
I have been lucky in many things in life. I got to teach for 42 years and had many good experiences (though some were not so great) and have gotten to travel a lot as well. I have loved taking photos from day one and continue to try to improve my skills, though it is pretty tough, to say the least. Perhaps my greatest hero then is just opportunity and respect for the time that is given to me by a greater power.
