Elaine Palladino | Portrait and Wedding Photographer | Miami and the World.

I don’t know how many people follow this blog. I know one time I had 10 (!) comments. That was a good day. For those of you who are out there, a little guy needs your help.

See, ever since I decided to start this sure path to lunacy that has been starting this photography business, I’ve been following Natalie Norton. Her pictures are beautiful, with a unique style one can only hope to achieve. More than that, she’s been an inspiration and a fountain of knowledge. She is also the mother of 8 week old Gavin who is currently grievously ill. I won’t lie, I’m not sure what has made the baby so sick. You can read her account on her blog: natalienortonphoto.com.  All I know is that Gavin is fighting for his life and they are in need of prayers.

Now, I’m not an overtly religious person. Make no mistake, I have faith and tons of it, but I’m not a fan of any particular religion. I feel like things work best on a personal level. Jewel said it best in her poem God Exists Quietly when she wrote, ” I knew Him best not in churches, but/alone with the sun shining on me through the trees.” I do, however, believe strongly in the power of prayer. I prayed for my aunt, whose spirit I feel with me everyday, and for my dad’s health and for the health of my family. I pray in gratitude. I pray for understanding. I pray.

I also believe in the power of faith.

Gavin needs both prayer and faith that he can recover from this illness that has forced his little body to swell so much his mother can barely recognize him. I’ve never met little Gavin or even know Natalie personally. All I know is that I want this little guy to make it.

I’m not a mom yet and so can’t even fathom what Natalie and her husband are going through. Truth be told, I hope I never have to know. So I’ll pray. For Gavin. For his little body to right itself and grow stronger. I hope you’ll join me.

Love, e

During my time in New York, I called The Academy of Art and withdrew from school. I failed to mention that after Phase I, there was a Phase II (getting accepted) and a Phase III (registering). I was scheduled to start February 1st with two classes. I was awarded financial aid. In other words, I was all set to go.

So why did I quit before I even started (wasting money in the process)? The answer to that is I’m not sure. All through the application process, I was nagged by this uneasy feeling. Maybe uneasy is the wrong word, but I couldn’t help but feel that this wasn’t the right path for me. I never listen to myself, so I started down the path despite the feelings. Part of me wanted to see if I could get in. Another, more prominent part, really wanted to go; to be a student and excel.

But a funny thing happened the last week before Christmas: I had three photo sessions in one weekend. I was out shooting, taking some of the best pictures I have to date and I was doing it without the help of school or the judgement of a professor. Now, I’m not saying that I won’t benefit from the critical eye of a seasoned veteran or anyone really, I just don’t know if it’s worth going $50,000 in debt to get it.

While I was talking to different people about whether to quit or not, I was told that it takes more courage sometimes to NOT do something; to say no. Ultimately, the decision not to go to school was the best decision I could make. How would I, you’re run-of-the-mill human girl with no notable super powers, be able to do well at teaching (which, after all, is my job for the foreseeable future), start a business, succeed in school and continue to be an amazing wife and friend? Could I do it? Hell, yes. Do I have to? No. I like the lining of my stomach, just fine thankyouvermuch. I cannot afford to get an ulcer over this. I don’t want to lose all these other things that are so precious to me, just to prove to myself that I can do it.

I’m trying not to have the knee-jerk reaction of calling myself a quiter. I never quit anything. Well, maybe the gym and we see how that’s turned out. I never withdraw. I never surrender. But at the end of the day, I’m not some gladiator facing a formidable opponent or a soldier fighting against an unknown threat. I’m just living my life. And I’ve learned that life, like a marriage or a relationship, takes compromise if you want to make it worth living.