Dear Friends,
We hope you all had a very Merry Christmas and are enjoying a safe and peaceful holiday week. While many people believe that Christmas ends on December 26, it is actually just beginning. The Twelve Days of Christmas start on Christmas Day and extend through January 5. This period of time can be one of true reflection as we spread goodwill toward others, ponder the year gone by and usher in the New Year ahead giving us the sense of renewal and fresh possibilities. It is a time to listen to our innermost thoughts, acknowledge our dreams and decide where we want to go and what we want from ourselves and for others.
To put it mildly, this has been quite the year for the history books. Every single person across the world over has been affected in one way or another by the pandemic. Some people have sadly experienced far worse circumstances than others but nonetheless everyone has been changed on some level. Thanks to the wonders of science and the diligent hard work of so many brilliant and dedicated individuals there is great hope on the horizon that this pandemic will eventually come to an end, but we just have to stay the course of safety for each other a while longer. This is the time to decide what we are wanting to emotionally take with us when we make it through and find ourselves on the other side of this all. Who were we before the crisis started, how did we respond, who are we now and who do we want to be going forward? Try to find some quiet moments to look deep into the caverns of your heart and think about how the last several months have changed you. What have we learned about ourselves and our neighbors near and far? Our worlds have become smaller and more intimate and yet at the same time they have vastly expanded as we continue to find true empathy for strangers we may never get the chance to meet. What have we come to appreciate that we may have previously taken for granted? Every circumstance, good or bad, allows us an opportunity to hone ourselves and our outlook on the world. Every storm is followed by a brighter day. Every dark cloud has a silver lining, even if it is appearing as just a glimmer. The light will always… always break through and shine down upon us.
We want to thank you for giving us the opportunity to stay in touch with you this year through our letters and imagery. The topics at hand have not always been easy to address, but we have tried to strike a balance of realism equally paired with hopefulness. There is always hope. Our messages have been and will continue to be an invitation to be a part of our lives through finding, sharing and celebrating our commonalities. Thank you for accepting our invitation and for all of your encouragement and inspiration. You make it all worthwhile. We are one world and we are stronger and better together. Thank you for staying the course by being the gleaming beacons of light, the stewards of positive energy, and the conduits for the kindness that we all need.
From the bottom of our hearts, we wish each and every one of you a happy and love filled new year and we look forward to continuing our journey together.
With our love and utmost gratitude,
Sue, Denny, Steph, Todd, Scott and James
Please enjoy our images as we continue to capture the beauty of the world around us.
P.S. If any of you have found inspiration in our photographs that have resulted in drawings or paintings, we would love to see them and share them! Please email your works to art@dillmans.com – subject line: INSPIRED MOMENTS – DILLMAN’S
writing by James Deskevich
photography by Scott Robertson and James Deskevich
