The Petersons

I have this vision for myself in old age. I’ll be sitting in my standard-issue-for-grandpas wingback chair in my living room and the grand kids will be playing around the house, and as they happen run by, each one will stop and give their grandpa one kiss on the cheek

And I’ll be listening to my daughters laughing in the kitchen as they drink wine. And I’ll be giving advice to my sons about home improvement and they’ll listen even when they know I’m flat out wrong. And the cooking will fill the house. And the motes of dust will lazily sprinkle a ray of sun warming the room I’m in. And my heart will be full and sated.

The Petersons had me come out to their house on the lake in Odessa to take their family portraits and the scene there was pretty darn close to my imagined old age. The Petersons were all together, some from out of state, others may as well be. The rarity of the occasion suffused their eyes with glow from the big, simple happiness of being together. That glow spilled out everywhere and I felt like an honorary family member that day.
And I got to catch that glow with my lens.