I’ve decided to honor and celebrate mothers all year long. This will be the third year that Mother’s Day is upon us and instead of having the opportunity to plan the surprise bouquet of flowers and gift delivery my brother and I had the joy of orchestrating each year, in order to surprise Mom, we are reminded that we lost Mom in 2013. It was sudden, it was earth-pulverizing, it was the worst pain I have ever felt in my life.
From the depths of the worst pain one could ever endure, I decided to honor and celebrate mothers all year long, because that was what my brother Karl and I did for ours. While I didn’t go seeking the idea, the idea actually came to me. As a journalist and photographer, I developed a coping mechanism for my grief by exploring the powerful innate bond between mothers and daughters. On Mother's Day of 2014, I decided to honor my mother by launching The Anita Claire Project, where I documented the mother/daughter relationships of various people. Since then, the on-going project has taken on a life of its own and has made a significant impact in my life and several others, as well as the subjects of the series. Throughout the couple of years I have been working on my passion project, I have found there to be a common thread woven throughout each photo and video session. With each mother and daughter (and grandmother and granddaughter) session, there always is something that relates back to Mom, in some way. In addition to that, I feel a connection with each woman and girl, and it confirms my feelings that Mom is always going to be with us.
Who was Anita Claire? My mother was a beautiful woman, inside and out. She was a strong, courageous woman. She was extremely strong and unyielding in her principles. She treated others with kindness and respect, just as she wished, and expected, to be treated. My mom was wise, an intellectual, and a voracious reader. Armed with a magnetic personality and smile, she made friends everywhere she went. Hearing her recount a story of the nice lady she met on an airplane or the gentleman at the bus stop was not unusual. Her sense of humor was top notch and I fondly remember the countless times we shared some cheerful laughs. I can hear her now. She was knowledgeable on all things, in all areas of life. She loved with passion and was loyal, always. My mom led by example and also taught us so many things based on the simple contrast of what is right and what is wrong. I could go on and on about all of the things that she was, and is, to us, and the infinite lessons she taught my brother Karl and me, but time nor space would allow for it.
I’ve decided to honor and celebrate mothers all year long; Mother’s Day included.
The Anita Claire Project, launched in honor of Kendra A Kabasele’s mother, and the bond between mothers and daughters, can be viewed at www.AClaireView.com, on Instagram and Twitter @AClaireView and on Facebook at www.facebook.com/AClaireView.
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Remembering Anita Claire...