I’ve been writing this blog in my head for a while but have been too chicken sh@# to sit down and do it.  It just makes me sad.  Sad like I’ve never experienced.  It’s like a piece of me is missing making me lilt to one side.  A real piece  – like my arm or one of my ears or better yet, my eyes.

Chet made me look at the world differently.  He helped me see beauty in rust, in twisted metal and piles of junk.  Chet was my cousin but was really more like an older brother.  I have so many great memories and stories that make me smile but if I could say just one thing about him – he was always good to me.  Always.  When he could have ditched out to be with his friends not only did he include me but made me feel like he was glad I was there.  That doesn’t make me special. That’s how he was with everyone.

When he was re-diagnosed with cancer last year and told he would probably only be here 6 months to a year, I started sending him a “Daily Photo”.  It was simply a way to say I’m thinking about you.  I love you.  Don’t die.

It developed into a habit that I am very grateful for.  I told people taking my Get Off Auto classes about it because even though I just took the photos on my phone and not a DSLR, it helped me be on the lookout for beautiful things I might miss otherwise.  It kept my brain in a creative space that I think helped my overall photography.

He started sending them to me as well. I wanted to share a slideshow of a combination of Chet’s and my Daily Photos that we sent to each other. They started and ended at almost exactly one year.

 

The Year of Daily Photos – A tribute to Keith “Chet” Clerihue from Christiana Childers on Vimeo.