More Love

Today’s post is from Kandi Ledford, ConnectAbility Board member, volunteer, Thousand Words photographer and #FionasChallenge champion.

There’s hate and there’s hurt and there’s negativity all around. There’s plenty of hard stuff going on and you really don’t have to look hard to find it. It’s on our TVs, on our computers, on our phones, and on our minds. Sometimes it’s so hard to see the good.

BUT, it’s there. It’s there if you choose to see it…if you’re willing to look for it. It’s all around. And there’s so much of it. There are so many people investing their time in service…in love. So many people doing good. So many people being the change. Let me tell you about one of those people. My friend Amy Hillis (above on the left with photographer Angel McDaniel) has spent the last year investing her heart and her time into an amazing project started by ConnectAbility, called the Thousand Words Photography Project. The program was started to connect artists with and without disabilities to share their passion for photography, or just to build friendships while teaching the basic skills of photography. It grew into an opportunity for these artist teams from different walks of life to learn about art, perspectives, storytelling and friendship together.

When Amy began volunteering, she saw the potential for more. She recognized that it was about far more than just taking pictures together…that it was about the relationships that are formed when we dare to step out of our comfort zones and see the world through the lens of people with different life experiences than those we’ve experienced.

This year, Amy has challenged each photography team with the 2016-2017 project theme of “LOVE” and all that it encompasses – what it means, what it looks like, where we see it, how we experience it, how we show it…all of it! I can’t think of a more perfect theme for this season that we’re all in. I believe that we could all benefit from Amy’s challenge – to look for love from all perspectives, to show love, and to share stories of love.
Just do it…I DARE YOU!

If you would like to know more about this project, just find Thousand Words Photography Project on Facebook. If you would like to be blown away by the heart and talent of these artists, join us for the Thousand Words Gala & Silent Auction in February. If you would like to make a difference in the world, start by taking Amy’s challenge to look for and bring out MORE LOVE.