Things are not always as they appear...   |   Friday, August 6, 2010

This session was a result of me stepping out of my comfort zone and being 'bold' myself. At a lunch meeting one day, I saw this bald woman enter Panera's and I immediately thought that I needed to approach her about being part of this project! I really needed to muster some kind of courage to get up and go talk to this woman about coming in to be photographed! I meekly approached her and gave her our brochure and told her about the project. After my little 'speech', she kind of chuckled and said, "But, I don't have cancer." Talk about feeling like a jerk!! What had I just done??
She explained that she had 'Alopecia Universalis." Wow. I had assumed that because she was bald, she was going through treatment for cancer! We had a laugh and I still asked her to participate.... she wasn't any less bold, brave or beautiful. She was out in public, without a wig, feeling very comfortable and confident! Plus, I wanted the practice photographing bald women. So, she and another friend with alopecia graciously came in to be photographed. We had a great time! Much more lighthearted than our 'normal' sessions.
All that to say.... things in life are not always as they appear. I have to constantly remind myself not to judge people. To assume the best in people. I am not walking in anyone else's shoes but mine and I really don't KNOW what their life looks like. I can't read minds or feel someone else's feelings. I don't know what happens behind their closed doors. Most people wear some sort of 'mask' to appear to others as one thing, when maybe life looks very different. Just food for thought.... things are not always as they appear.

Labels: bald woman, bald women, Be Bold Feel Beautiful, breast cancer, breast cancer awareness, The Oldham Project

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