No clone.

We all have our differences, some are obvious, and others are because of our culture, religion, and/or location of where we live. For some it’s difficult to accept, for others it’s what makes America the melting pot that it is known to be.

This past week I sent out e-mails to a company we work with here in the U.S. The only difference was, this time I sent the e-mails out all over the world. I sent them to Germany, Belgium, Denmark, and countless others. In the e-mail I explained why I was writing, and the work we have done with their home office. My concern, would they be able to read what I wrote it in the only language I speak..English. In the back of my mind I knew they would be able to correspond back to me because many countries around the globe know English, and speak it, whereas we are really not able to say the same.

A woman from Quebec wrote me and started the note, “Bonjour;” luckily the rest of the note was in perfect English. I wrote back thanking her for her help and just to let her know I recognized her usage of “Bonjour” wished her the same in her native tongue. I did explain very quickly that my French is at best poor, I took it in 7^th grade, and would not want to embarrass myself by making any attempt to write her back in her primary language. I have not heard back from her, but I suspect she appreciated my acknowledgment and openness about how she was well spoken in English, and how I was very honest about my deficiency in French.

I do have the opportunity to travel around the U.S. and have been pretty open about the people I meet. Yesterday is a perfect example. I was on the train and sat across from a young woman who was taking a picture of herself with her phone. (It had a camera as part of it as do most phones these days.) I asked her if she would like me to take her picture with it? She was so happy I asked. We talked the entire ride in to Chicago. I learned that she was a recovering drug addict who had been sober for 2 months, had 2 children with a father who was still in the picture. He had been sober for 7 months and she was very proud to say she was on her way. She was so well spoken, but she had run into the evils of drug usage. She had a job, was looking for a second one, and when I said “good bye” to her, I very pointedly said, “Stay sober, if not for you, for your kids.” She thanked me for not being judgmental.

The photo above was one of those special moments that do not come along every day. Today while I was in between meetings, I went down to the river where the Arch is located in St. Louis. When I saw this group coming, and I am do not know if they are Amish or Mennonite, I knew I had to take pictures. I was as discreet as one can be with a gigantic lens on the camera, but I was also very careful not to invade. I have always been very intrigued by these two groups---I am sure they knew I was photographing them. I have learned a lot through the lens; I have learned that we live in a wonderful country made up of all types of people, and from where I stand, I am very thankful to be able to photograph them and talk about it here on “Snap. Shot.”

Thanks for stopping by.