10 Jul What loss has taught me

Dear All,

How have you been? Here are a few personal notes on the last 12 months and hopefully a little inspiration to embrace the everyday and the life we have right now. 

When I turned 40 last year at the beginning of July 2024, my very good and very dear friend died unexpectedly, just a day after my birthday. It was the hardest news I had ever received. It was also a hard year to come.

Losing someone unexpectedly is ‘tragic’. It left me with a big wound in my heart. The wound healed and closed eventually, but it left a scar. This scar, I think, stays forever and still it aches time to time. But the scar does not have to be just a reminder of sadness. The scars left on our hearts could be seen as little shining reminders of life, light and joy we could still feel.

Last week I celebrated my 41st birthday. Firstly I thought, I would just skip it. I felt like I was not allowed to celebrate it. But when I woke up on my birthday, I felt like I wanted to do it my way. I needed to celebrate it not only for myself, but for my late friend as well as she would love to see that and she would applaud me on every effort I made.

I went on the hills to run. Some of you know that I am a big fan of running. It saved my mental health a few years ago and it always bring so much joy to my week. And to cut my very long story short, what loss has taught me is the fragility of time. I always think I have more time, but all I have is right now.

I am trying harder to do the things I love (photography is one of them). I am trying to worry less about others and I hope some of my words or actions might even inspire others to do the same. 

So I will take more selfies when I feel the happiest, I will ask a friend or my husband to take a photo of me with my kids! I will celebrate the little everyday moments as these little moments are the big ones. I hope you can do the same this summer too.

Enjoy your time with your families and if you ever would like to dare a photo shoot with me, I am here. Just reply to this email and we can then look after the rest.

Lots of love,

Michaela