I have been away from this site, from Instagram, and from photography for a while. It was not planned. Life just became heavier than usual.

Things have been difficult for many people these past few months. War, inflation, uncertainty, and the general pressure of getting through each month have affected almost everyone in one way or another. For me, the more personal weight has been watching my father age, seeing him struggle with age related illness, and then seeing him hurt by people he once depended on and trusted.

That part has been hard to process.

There was also a substantial financial hit, one that wiped out our savings. Plans had to be reconsidered. Some of the things I had kept for my hobbies, for photography, for making prints, and for simply enjoying the process, will have to go. So naturally, photography will have to wait.

When life demands attention elsewhere, you cannot pretend everything is normal. You put your time where it is needed. You deal with the things in front of you. You try to protect what matters more.

I recently came across something Charlie Munger said near the end of his life. His words were simple: you can cry, but you cannot quit.

That felt true.

So I am still here, but photography, this site, and Instagram may remain slower for a while. But they have not been abandoned.