I received the most wonderful email during the wee hours of the morning from the friend of a friend of a friend. Writing and photography are two activities I’ve always been passionate about, but I always strayed away from getting any formal training in either. Basically, I love both so long as they’re applied to something I find meaningful. I have an appreciation for the little things in life such as watching a V of geese fly over or listening to stories of people’s lives. As I’ve mentioned before, Sunday Morning on CBS embodies how I hope to live my life. Basic knowledge of current events, strong exposure to arts, and a desire to experience the lives of the most ordinary people.

Music business aside, there are two people’s jobs I’ve always envied, both from Sunday Morning. Bill Geist and the random camera man responsible for the ending nature footage. So it hit me that I could be both. I could be the Bill Geist of the printed word, seeking out random places and sharing their story through words and photographs.

Family, teachers, and professors over the years have told me I had a “way with words,” but to me, their opinion was biased. That’s where this morning’s email comes in. The sender was a newspaper reporter who said:

“And when I come across someone who turns ideas into words as well as you do, it’s worth noting. Your pictures, too, are dynamic: filled with life and expression.”

To have someone in his line of work think that, let alone take time to tell me, was…well, there’s just not a word to describe it. What I can say is that it gave me hope. Hope that there’s a chance my dream is not so unattainable. His words have given me the confidence to start writing professionally. I believe my hometown newspaper would allow me the opportunity to cover local events, as I’d planned to photograph them anyway.

I feel the beginning of something good. Without a doubt, it’s the type of drastic career change I’ve been seeking, something more rewarding.