I often lose myself in the depths of winter, floundering in the cold weather and dark days of the great Midwest. And when this happens, when life seems like just too much, a good friend reminds me to step back. Do something for others, she tells me—more often than I’d like to hear. Her theory, which I fully support, is that when a person puts her energy toward the benefit of others, her own life is better for it. “52” is a popular blog series started by Jodi Wilson of the Australian lifestyle site, Che and Fidel. As Jodi writes, the premise of her project is to photograph “a portrait of my children, once a week, every week, in 2013.” Since I currently don’t have children, I found another way to partake in the fun energy of the 52 series. With a love for all things paper and pretty, loads of acquaintances near and far, and an obsession for greeting cards firmly intact, I began my yearlong card and gift-giving project. Renamed, my project became known as “52 Cards.” I keep sticky notes with unique ideas for those times between birthdays and anniversaries. Dropping a card in the mailbox of a neighbor with a gorgeous yard or fun Christmas decorations are both on my to-do list. We never know the impact we have on people until they tell us so, but I do know that I would like my impact, no matter how small, to be a positive one. And as another good friend once told me, “No one wouldn’t want to receive a compliment.” Whether because or just because, “52 Cards” is dedicated to the ordinary days and the extraordinary people who fill them—because all of it is worth celebrating.
TEXT: KATIE MICHELS PHOTOS: KATE DE LA ROSA STYLING: KATIE MICHELS, KATE DE LA ROSA, SUE MICHELS LOCATION: BY THE BARKERS STUDIO, CHICAGO, IL
67
OFF SWITCH MAGAZINE