Since I started this photography business 8 years ago - we have moved 3 times, had 2 children and have experienced a whole lot of life’s ups and downs. Inevitably each transition has brought with it shifts to my business; some doors closing and others opening to new opportunities – it takes time to adjust and reimagine, to discern and rebuild.
One of the most memorable movies I've ever seen is the documentary Man on Wire about the enigmatic, awe-inspiring tight-rope walker, Philippe Petit. It shows the behind the scenes story of his epic (albeit illegal) feat of walking on air between the Twin Towers of the World Trade Center. It's a remarkable story of a wholly unique person and if you haven't seen it, I commend it to you.
I find myself thinking about that movie as I am in that familiar and uncomfortable place of limbo. Metaphorically stepping out onto the tightrope of this new phase of life - rich with exploration of our new town, full with the duties of raising 4 uniquely beautiful and complex children, and reimagining the shape of my vocation and work life.
What is particularly striking to me as I reflect on Philippe Petit’s story is that much of his ambition was driving toward a place of literal limbo - walking on a tight rope. For him, it wasn’t about getting from point A to point B as fast as he could – it was about rejoicing in the process of dancing on air. A lifetime of practice, dreaming, hard work, and scheming made it so that when his foot stepped out onto the wobbly wire of the unknown, he was able to delight in the experience; the delight was between the two points, not the points itself.
And so, with that in mind – I am opening myself up to this time of transition as I tentatively put one foot in front of the other until I find the solid ground.
