Why are skies so beautiful?

On drives...

In the morning...

In fear...

In hope...

In the end...

Photos influenced by Roy Decarava, William Gedney and Alex Webb

Widow's Block

Tragedy is one of life’s inevitabilities.  While the actual tragic event is not constant, the effects of tragedy live on forever.  Every day rituals, beliefs and comforts are forever altered and re evaluated through new eyes.  The world looks much different and small problems seem trivial. A tragic loss is absolute and can sometimes fuel the need for distraction.  Memories become precious and only time eases the pain.  To experience tragedy is to be re-born.

        
  I live on a street where tragedy reins.  My street is known as, “Widow’s block”.  Four women have lost their husbands, all within ten years of each other.  They have been neighbors for over forty years and are extremely grateful to have each other. There is no need for empathizing.  They all feel the same stabbing pain and have lost a part of their heart.
 

    Mrs. Young is the eldest of the four.  At ninety-four she can garden, sing, drive and gossip with the best of them.  Unfortunately, Mrs. Young was faced with yet another tragedy before we could start our interview and had to leave town.  I was able to capture some of her most prized accomplishments and what she said, "Kept her mind busy" for the first few years after her husbands departure from this world.

    Her home is her sanctuary.  She collects stone animals and works in her yard vigorously.  Don't ask her if she needs help.  She is very proud to say she needs none.  She is very headstrong and voices her opinion.

      She lived through the depression and claims America is the closest to another depression it has ever been.  She loves her family and spends most of her time with them.

     Next to Mrs. Young, there lives Mrs. Pettit.  She is the sweetest of the four.  Unfortunately for her, she was also faced with another tragedy before we could finish our interview.  She was in the beginning stages of Alzheimer's and couldn't remember much, but she loved her husband and misses him very much.

    She is a strong soul.  She had a stroke two weeks ago and is now in an assisted living facility.  Fortunately, I was able to capture her wonderful smile.

    She talked about her family and what they had achieved.  She is the sole owner for Pettit Environmental Group and has kept the business in shape for the past twenty years. 
She loved her garden and was so sad to see it out of shape.  I told her it was beautiful and to keep her chin up.  She giggled and told me about her business again. 

    Her favorite thing to do, is to sit on the porch and listen to the birds.  They remind her of her husband because when they were young they used to drive to the country and bird watch.  She thinks they send her messages from the Lord above.

    Diagonal from Mrs. Pettit, lives my favorite, Mrs. Smith.  She is a feisty old lady and carries a lot of wit.  She treats me like a Granddaughter and is very gentle and kind, but her heart is still hurting from losing the love of her life.

   He died from lung cancer about twelve years ago.  He was her first loss, yet never took a smoke.  Mrs. Smith is bitter at how he had to go, but she knows they'll be together again, thanks to all her hope.

Four years after the death of her husband, she lost her father. About four months after that, she lost her mother...

   She gave me some trouble because she didn't want her photo to be taken.  So I had to sneak a few.

On day two, she showed me her photos.  She loved telling the stories of her life.  We went through five albums, her photos were beautiful.

  She is proud of her family.  She loved her father dearly.  He was religious and kind.  He had a heart and kept God close by.

   Her son was born with cerebral palsy, but is doing fine.  Her children appear very cheerful and full of character.

 Mrs. Smith and her husband looked very happy together.  Artie was his name.

  She said, "Without him, things will never be the same".

  Four days before her husband died, she came home from the hospital to take a shower.  She decided before she would leave, she would water the flowers.  She went to the hanging basket and lifted the pitcher, a bird flew out.  She said it almost knocked her off the porch.  Then she smiled.

    Across the street from Mrs. Smith, lives Mrs. Snodgrass.

   Her husband passed a couple years after Artie.

  Her husband was bed ridden for four years.  She took care of him every day.

  Her eyes filled with water when she talked about how much she missed him.  She was lonely for him.  Her family and her God are her supports.

    Her first tragedy occurred when the law took their dream home.  They spent their life savings building a home.  It was built to perfection.  The government needed the land and gave them no option but to sell.  She said, "It was a very unfair deal!"

   She collects angels.  She has two sons and one grandson.  She is a beautiful, hopeful, kind and faithful woman.  Her house is very clean, but she says she doesn't take care of it like she used to.  She said, "Whats the point?" with a very sad look in her eyes.

   She has her Lord, and she longs for her husband, but she knows they will meet again in Heaven.

   Tragedy affects.  It hurts and never goes away.  But the only thing that all these women had in common, is that they know they will see their husband again.  It is better to have loved and lost, then never to have loved at all.  Memories warm their hearts and God gives them hope.