One of the joys of deep friendship is sharing. Another is becoming inspired by the experiences and insights of someone you trust and admire. Lynn Lawrence is that kind of friend to me. Her ways with words and images parallel her deep understanding of the human mind and the heart. Her zingy irreverance and spirit of adventure enliven my world with laughter and sane new ways to explore this crazy world we all inhabit. That our friendship grew out of an intersection of words and images sparked some years ago by National Poetry Month seems like a species of destiny.

Rarely does a day go by when we are not in touch by text, email, or phone, trading images and observations. I was so happy that today Lynn allowed me to share a few of her own photographs here. Each has influenced my own eye as a photographer. Lynn’s work helps me to look more closely at the world and to see more penetratingly what is before me.

For instance, my photograph above was something I “saw” only after being mesmerized earlier in the day by Lynn’s study of wing chairs with the stripes of shadows.

My own image, above, was taken this morning after studying the lines and curves of Lynn’s recent photograph below.

This interior of Lynn’s also helped me see and capture this moment last week that daylight played upon my own floor.

My poem for today, “Practicing Interior Light,” was inspired by my frequent exchanges with Lynn of our quotidian observations.

Just so you know, Lynn’s eloquence is not limited to visual images. Her poetry and professional prose is similarly luminous. Take a look at this work she co-edited and co-authored, published by Columbia University Press, titled Narrative in Social Work Practice: The Power and Possibility of Story.

A picture truly can be worthy of a thousand words. Sometimes pictures painted by words, our sharings of our stories, can be similarly liberating, especially when accompanied by deep listening. Let’s celebrate the power of friendship to make our lives more deep and delicious!

Until tomorrow,

LESLIE