A Time to Mourn by alophoto

A Time to Mourn

I heard the news today and wept. I didn't really listen today, but did very recently when NPR was on in the car. I drove nearly blinded with tears as I listened to stories of people senselessly killing one another.

Luckily, I am doing fine today. All is well with me. This is just my entry for the 5+2 theme compassion.

There have been times in my life where I've needed to comfort those who are mourning, and often I didn't know the proper words to say. Nothing can make some situations all better. So I just gave them a big hug and was there for them and offered prayers for their comfort. Sometimes that is all that we can do. Weep with those who weep and be there to show them love and compassion, prayers and support.

And to add a funny spin to this as it is rather serious for me, this reminds me of one of those photos for the first world problem jokes. Maybe this one would go: I went to the mall today, and had to wait for the elevator. Or it's Friday night and I have nothing fun to do. Or perhaps I tried to use my cell phone to check 365 and my battery was dead.
OMG!! This is so powerful. I have been struggling with the 5+2 themes and can't seem to think of anything appropriate and haven't any time to set anything up anyway. Maybe next week if I'm lucky xx
August 30th, 2013  
well done. great very believable shot
August 30th, 2013  
Your body language is perfect for this word! I'm glad it is only a challenge but all around us, even on 365, there is somebody mourning!
August 30th, 2013  
Your words put things into perspective, a great emotion capture.
August 30th, 2013  
Incredibly powerful shot. Amazing for the theme too.
August 30th, 2013  
Well taken, there is a time to mourn...and a time for joy
August 30th, 2013  
Wonderful shot, Amanda. You've shown wonderful vulnerability in sharing. Thank you.
August 30th, 2013  
Kev
Really powerful work, Amanda. Ca't really work out why this hasn't be fav'ed but it has now. +Fav.
August 30th, 2013  
Meryl Streep eat your heart out !!
August 30th, 2013  
You've created and captured that emotion perfectly. The B&W and the lighting make this a Fav
August 31st, 2013  
I agree with all of the above. It's a FAV for me too Amanda. Great piece of artistic composition.
August 31st, 2013  
Was it a long wait for the elevator? (That so has to become a fcbk meme)
August 31st, 2013  
fabulous selfie and perfect for the 5+2 theme... don't get me started on waiting for elevators - first world problem or not ;p
August 31st, 2013  
Amazing shot Amanda. The emotion and capture is perfect. Very touching and, I may add, very brave.
August 31st, 2013  
I love the way you embrace every challenge and give 100% of yourself to this project! This is an outstanding portrayal of compassion ... well done, my friend.
August 31st, 2013  
@bobfoto It was like a minute, but I was so excited to get to Prada. It made me so upset. Thanks for bringing it up again...DAMNIT!!!!
August 31st, 2013  
@snaggy Thank you so much...the lack of faves was starting me all up again;-). Really appreciate you being #1:).

@jodimuli Or cry your eyes out. HA! Thanks, man!

@tonydebont Really really appreciate your words and fav, Tony!!

@cathrinemitch Thank you so much for that, Catherine!!
August 31st, 2013  
You are quite the performer. Do you do any local productions, theater and what not? Really well done image and the emotion is captivating.
August 31st, 2013  
@adamj No, but I should look into that. In high school, I got a couple non speaking bit parts in the school musical, Annie. I was given a line. I was so overdramatic with my one line that they had to change it and told me not to sound so pathetic. I had to make it good...it was my chance to shine:). Thanks, Adam.
August 31st, 2013  
I am impressed on so many levels. You really do convey the emotion -- and it's a great selfie, and it's a great narrative. Wow!
August 31st, 2013  
very well done
August 31st, 2013  
Very powerful!!
August 31st, 2013  
@amandal - Can you meme it? Please?
August 31st, 2013  
Very powerful post and image. I love that you give yourself 100% to your art. FAV from me, too.
August 31st, 2013  
This is so powerful!! It made my heart stop!! I believe that your compassion is real ... I can feel it! Well done!!! FAV!!
August 31st, 2013  
Full of emotion. Well done
Choosing to present it in b&w makes it even more powerful
Fav
August 31st, 2013  
@bobfoto Ok...maybe later today. Should I go with the elevator text or do you have a better idea. I had to go b&w here, yes?

@abhijit The b&w vs. color is so often a debate for me. I just had to do it here. Thanks so much for the fav, my friend!!

@eyesmile Oh Gena, than you so much for your kind words and fav. So glad that this image had the desirable effect.

@pflaume You are so very kind to say that, Lisa. Thank you for your words and fav!! You made my day!
August 31st, 2013  
wow your image is spot on Amanda, you have a big heart for sure
August 31st, 2013  
really such a powerful and emotive picture! wonderful job done!
August 31st, 2013  
@amandal - the elevator text.
August 31st, 2013  
Great capture,Amanda,very emotive!!
August 31st, 2013  
Wonderfully emotional shot, beautifully captured
August 31st, 2013  
moving raw emotion here - great job
August 31st, 2013  
Thank you for your transparency and willingness to share it both visibly and through the written word.
August 31st, 2013  
@kali66 Thanks so much, Kali. That means a lot to me!
August 31st, 2013  
Fav here too. You really did a great job of capturing this. I cry at the news too. During my pregnancies, my husband would protect me from the news. If something just too bad was going on, he'd say "don't listen to the radio or the tv today." I really appreciated him doing that.
August 31st, 2013  
Such a powerful image! Very well done!
August 31st, 2013  
@m9f9l Aw, thanks for relating and your kind words, Mary!! Sounds like you have a compassionate and great hubby! Did you mean to fav this? I don't think it worked, if so. Happy long weekend, my friend!:)
August 31st, 2013  
Wow, I haven't done that in a while! I usually press the fav button right when I type it instead of waiting til after I post. That usually catches it!
August 31st, 2013  
@m9f9l I hate when I miss it. It's been happening to me a bunch lately, though...the prank fav;-). I've done it. It happens. Thank you so much, Mary! The week that I wept with the news, I was hormonal. I don't think that I am normally that quick to cry. Pregnancy would do it, though!
August 31st, 2013  
Very powerful fav.
August 31st, 2013  
Ha. Nice tags too!
August 31st, 2013  
Capturing emotion is tough but you did it nicely here.
August 31st, 2013  
@denidouble Thanks so much, Deni. Really appreciate your kind comments and faves.
September 1st, 2013  
@psychographer I haven't really felt any of the themes. I don't know why they are so hard for me to come up with. At first I didn't realized that it was even open to others to participate. This may be a loose interpretation for this one, but it was all I could come up with. Thanks for your great comment, Lisa!!

September 1st, 2013  
@adamj What do you think...should I have left out the text on this one? It may have been more powerful had I not said I was faking it? Thanks for your comments.
September 1st, 2013  
@amandal Without your explanation, you run the risk of people freaking out. You would end up explaining the shot anyway. It's a great pic so it stands on its own.
September 1st, 2013  
Very cool.
September 1st, 2013  
@adamj Yeah, that is kinda why I tried to reassure. Ok, good that I probably made the best decision. I made it into a meme today with the text about the mall.
September 1st, 2013  
@jaynspain Thank you, Jayn!!

@maggiemae Sad and true, Maggiemae. I keep thinking about our 365 friend, Paul King and his rough road to recovery after his serious car accident. I'm praying for him every time I think to.

@sugarmuser Thanks so much, Sharon. really appreciate your kind comments. Glad this accomplished my goal.

@alia_801 Thanks so much, Alia. Really appreciate that!

@httpgeffed True words. I like the rejoicing bit better. I was looking for the Bible verse about weeping with those who weep and rejoicing with those who rejoice. I found it after I posted. It's in Romans, if I remember right. Thank you kindly, lady!

@cathieg Aw, thank you, Cathie. Really appreciate your kind words!

September 1st, 2013  
@northy Thanks, friend. I finally joined in this week. I've found the themes tough to do. Hope to do more. I really do love doing selfies. Weirdo that I am:).

@edie Really appreciate your comments, Edie. When I was in high school I remember trying to cry on command in class and couldn't do it. I was going to try this time, but what the heck. I had eye drops and didn't have too much time to pull this off before getting the kids at the bus stop. I was pleased with how this came out. I had some really crappy images, too. Man, crying doesn't make one look too attractive. Glad that the snot didn't start flowing;-). And thanks for noticing the tags. I have fun with those:)!

@wendyhgill Wendy, thank you so much for saying that. I really put a lot of myself into this. Too much at times perhaps. I just like to do what I put my mind to do, well. Hope that you have a great weekend, friend!

@taffy Thank you so much, Taffy. Really appreciate those comments!

@twr Thank you, Timothy! Appreciate you saying that.

@kwind Thanks kindly, Kim!!

@wind_of_the_sothern_sea Thanks so much, Arefin!!

@carolmw Thank you, Carol!!

@roseolivia Thanks so much, Rachel!!
September 1st, 2013  
@gozoinklings I love that you said that, Catherine. Capturing raw emotion is my latest goal. Hope to get them as candids, but this will do. Thank you!

@kareenking Love your kind words, Kareen. Thank you and of course.

@happysnap Thanks so much, Linda!!

@fauxtography365 Thank you, Ms. T. Capturing raw emotion is my latest goal...granted I'd prefer to get candids, but this will do for now.

@sailingmusic Thank you, Myrna!!
September 1st, 2013  
I saw your altered version on Facebook... Too funny!!
September 1st, 2013  
Good capture of yourself....bathrobe added to the shot :)
September 1st, 2013  
This is a powerful image. The news does make you want to cry...
September 1st, 2013  
This is really very well done. A career in acting when Clara starts school? Love your first world problem narrative - timely for me at the moment.
September 1st, 2013  
Rob
An incredible capture of emotion!Fav!
September 1st, 2013  
@kwind :)))

@helixconcepts I was originally going for the reading the morning paper look with a coffee cup. The robe helped me not have to decide what to wear:). Thanks, Laura!
September 1st, 2013  
@bristolrose Thanks so much, lady. Sometimes, it really does!

@rachelwithey Glad that you needed to hear that. We all need a reminder sometimes. Thanks so much, Rachel! I'd love to act...maybe something in the community.

@jdr4690 Really appreciate your kind comments and fav, Rob! Thank you!
September 1st, 2013  
What an incredibly moving shot, Amanda. fav
September 1st, 2013  
Wonderful Amanda. I've been really enjoying the 5+2 themes even if I am not entering myself.
September 1st, 2013  
Such a beautiful, intense display of emotion. Just wonderful!
September 1st, 2013  
What an amazing, powerful shot! Thank you for giving shape to the grief we're sharing, it helped much more than anything else.
September 1st, 2013  
Moving indeed! Well done!
September 1st, 2013  
@gailmmeek Thanks so much for that, Gail. Really appreciate the fav!

@thirtysevenways I've been uninspired with the themes. Finally came up with something. Praying for you this week, friend. Feel better and hope that single parenting gets easier. Those are hard days, I know!

@emrob Aw, thank you, my kind friend!!

@kosznai I love your words, lady. Thanks so much for them!!

@sbolden Thanks very much, Scott!!
September 1st, 2013  
joy to sobbing in just one day! argh! i love the challenge you have made for yourself of capturing emotion. you are really running hard to explore the gamut and very successful!
September 1st, 2013  
Very well done
September 1st, 2013  
Wow, what a powerful photo, Amanda and a wonderful one at that. Strange that you posted this photo this week as it has been a hard week for me and a few people in my life. A classmate lost her husband to cancer last Sunday. So healthy, got diagnosed in April and gone. My cousin was diagnosed with lung cancer and had a PET scan Monday and on Tuesday was told it is at least in her lymph nodes, more testing to come soon then treatment starts. She is being so very quiet so cannot call her or my Aunt as they are not talking just crying. Was in the ER with my son and his girlfriend on Thursday night waiting for his CT to tell us if he was going into surgery with appendicitis. Luckily he had a kidney stone and no surgery but severe pain. Picked up meds and he passed the stone late yesterday. I was wondering when I will get good news so just do what I can and like you said be there, offer hugs and prayers and in my sons case was there for him and will always be. Simply exhausted but went to the park today. Nice to get away from life as it is.
September 2nd, 2013  
@moreyoulessme I wasn't even setting out to capture emotion for my challenge here, just wanting to do this for another challenge. Really want my emotion shots to be candids, but so hard to be at the right place at the right time. Thanks so much for your wonderful comments, Jerri!

@cocobella Thank you, Corrine.:))

@darsphotos Thanks so much, Darlene. Crazy timing with it. So sorry to hear about your friend's loss of her husband and about your cousin's diagnosis. So glad that your son is ok and recovering. Hope that you have a relaxing rest of your weekend. You need it! Big hugs!!!
September 2nd, 2013  
@amandal You are welcome. You did a wonderful job on this photo. Very crazy timing with it. It was quite a week. Hoping for some good news in the midst of the bad for my cousin. My son is doing really well. I am so glad about that. I am up later than planned but have the house fan on and trying to get it nice and cool in here before I close up and go to sleep. Thank you for the hugs. Right back to you also.
September 2nd, 2013  
Very effective Amanda!
September 2nd, 2013  
Jim
You've captured and conveyed such raw emotion. Wonderfully done
September 2nd, 2013  
Brilliant selfie! Love the processing!
September 2nd, 2013  
@jcarrollphoto Thanks, Jim. That means a bunch to me. Ironically I just made it a new goal to capture such kinds of emotion. I wasn't even considering that when I did this photo.

@amrita21 @aleksandra Thanks so much, kind ladies!!
September 2nd, 2013  
Gripping emotion in this photo... very poignant!
September 3rd, 2013  
@calm Thank you, Cathy. I was pleased with the result. Glad that I pulled it off.
September 3rd, 2013  
ahh this makes me want to give you a hug~
September 4th, 2013  
lovely in so many ways...
September 4th, 2013  
@sunshinephoto5 @chelmck Thanks so much, sweet ladies. You are kind!!
September 4th, 2013  
Well done. Glad the bad news is not real.
September 5th, 2013  
@nadaa Me, too. Thanks so much!
September 5th, 2013  
Wow, I'm so impressed by your picture as well by your words, a fav for me!
September 5th, 2013  
@sjouk Aw, thanks so much for that, sweet lady. So very appreciated:). Hope that you have a great start to your weekend.
September 6th, 2013  
Elevator! Bwahahahaha!
September 13th, 2013  
@bobfoto In this case, it was for canned corned beef. Now I am gagging. No more tears. I'll have to do a selfie of that.
September 14th, 2013  
@amandal - salty it was.
September 14th, 2013  
Your work is very, very powerful. Each photograph tells a story. I admire your work and am glad to be following you now. :)
October 19th, 2013  
@bobfoto Oh gross, corned beef. Seriously was the meal that I would cry over as a kid. Quick question...have you been checking in with my project lately? If not, I have a stalker. If so or if not, carry on with your life. That is all. Oh and this is my reaction when my fake internet friend dumped me:). Ok so there is an ounce of truth to that.
March 10th, 2016  
@alophoto - not so sure on the stalking bit? If I had been checking out your project, I would have left a comment, as myself...
March 27th, 2016  
@bobfoto Well poo. Ok, thanks. Happy Easter.
March 27th, 2016  
@alophoto - I ate a chocky egg yesterday and might eat a home-made hot cross bun tomorrow morning. Hope you and your family have a great long weekend.
March 27th, 2016  
@bobfoto We're on spring break. I ate an egg that was so sweet it was sickening today. You, too. Sorry for bugging you.
March 27th, 2016  
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