Going for a run, driving on a busy highway, or just getting out of bed on some mornings, I need inspiration. A while back, I opened my new 2012 Personal Motivational Planner. At the top of each page is a quote by famous respected people. I cheated by reading through my whole year, thinking I would get a megadose of life changing words to get me through the stress of running out of mocha frappuchino. One quote caught my eye. “The will to win is important, but the will to prepare is vital.” I am not a football fan, but I had heard that name. I really knew nothing about him personally. I asked Tom, who is faster than high speed internet, (especially here at the ranch) to refresh my memory about the author of this quote. It just so happened that Joe Paterno was in the news that day. Not such a role model from what was being revealed on the news. Today I was thinking about writing this post and I opened my little black PMP once again. The next quote I turned to was by George Van Walkenburg. George says “Leadership is doing what is right when no one is watching.” Don’t know that George. I do know a George that is worthy of my love, respect, admiration and gratitude. I met this George at my cousin’s wedding a long time before I was married. He was a well known, sought after photographer and I had him on a pedestal without even knowing anything about his personal life or if he could walk without carrying a camera. It turns out, he hardly ever went anywhere without one around his neck and a Minox in his pocket. At that particular wedding, I sat next to him on the steps as he said to me around midnight, “Young lady, when you get married, just throw the bouquet, so the photographer can go home!”
Well he was not the photographer at my wedding, but he was there… as the father of the groom. I learned a lot about my father in law through the last 33 years. He is a role model that we love to quote and during his 93 years on earth, I can not count the number of times someone let me know that he hung the moon, as if we did not know. His love of photography all his life, inspired me and countless other people. His many travels, his large family or just a rose in his back yard never ceased to produce rolls of film. Later he jumped into the digital world without missing a beat. The important thing was that he loved to share his gift of producing memories with everyone one he met. “Nothing great was ever achieved without enthusiasm.”George “Bub” Parish had that and much more. He would be so proud of all the young photographers in his family. Thank you for the memories, Daddy-Bub.
"life is either a daring adventure or nothing." Helen Keller
