As a woman, I think it is very important to have other strong, influential women to surround myself with.  I thought during school days that the friends I had then would last a lifetime.  We had plans to grow up, buy a house, share everything and be friends for a lifetime.  Things change so quickly, though, as do people.  While I’m still in touch with a few of them, we have mostly all gone down different paths.  College, careers, marriages, children – we’re all so different now.  This difference is not bad, but in some instances, it has caused a separation.  While I wish them all the best and luck the world has to offer, and I know they do the same for me, it’s still important to have a strong foundation of women around.

I have found some of these women from the most unlikely of circumstances, in some of the most odd places, and some of them are still so different from me.  Some are married, some have children, some have careers – but all are strong.

One I met on a sidewalk at a skateshop while down town Winston at midnight.  One I met while searching for a last minute place to shoot, knowing snow was on the way and there wasn’t an option of re-scheduling.  A few I met online, one dating back 6 years, who became my best friend and confidant, and whom I moved to Georgia to live with on a wing and a prayer.  Some are belly-dancers, some I met by chance through other friends, and my newer ones are fellow photographers.  All of these women bring something positive to my life, and I couldn’t be more grateful.  They forgive me and let me ask questions of motherhood, since that is something I have not and will probably never experience.  They listen when I’m at a crossroad, and they give me tough love.  They are inspiring in all different ways and they never judge.  They are all different ages and have all fought their own battles.  They are all soso beautiful, especially to me.

These women, so different from my school friends and some so different from the others, are what I believe every woman needs.  I happen to be blessed with just enough to make me feel like the world’s luckiest girl.  I’ve never needed a huge social circle, especially since I don’t see myself as a “social butterfly”.  I am lucky enough to have the ones I do.  They may not be ones I see every single day, but I know should I ever need them, they are there.  I can only hope I am the same to all of them.

Here is one of the beautiful women (inside and out) that I am blessed to call a friend.  This shot was taken during a quick 15 minute shoot last week, planned only the day before.  I first saw Sarah’s picture hanging up in the local tattoo shop almost 6 years ago and I KNEW I had to photograph her.  I found and contacted her online and now, 6 years later, she is also a MUA for me, as well as a strong and inspiring woman and friend in my life.