What it Means to Move a Life

So, we’re moving. But not so far away. Just up to Marin and the little town of Lagunitas.

I’m not here to tell you how things will change for my business. Honestly, the way we work together won’t change at all. Whether you already have an SF session scheduled or you are hoping to get on my Fall calendar, I’m here for it.

Instead I want to talk about and document and share the wild adventure that is moving a life and a family. Because it is something most of you will experience in your lives. An adventure that shapes our families in so many ways, big & small.

Our new home was built in 1907 and sits on a quiet dirt road. We’re in a little hollow where we feel nearly alone. Within the first minute of our first visit we were approached by a family of kit foxes. I accused the realtor of planting them there. Nothing could have sold us quicker than the foxes did.

There is a chicken coop and garden beds and a tiny unfinished “cabin” that will be my office. And a covered front porch with a rocking chair.

There are also a lot of things that need fixing – the place is ancient. Nothing was built with permits. Neighbors have generators because we often lose power in winter. We have to sell our Prius because it won’t make it up the road.

In a way this all makes sense. Megan and I both grew up on a little island in the Caribbean where a lot of these same things were true. It almost feels like rite of passage. We watched our parents pour their hearts and souls into maintaining a challenging life in a place they loved. Now we’ll be doing the same, and this time we’re the parents.

As exciting and all-consuming as this vision of what’s to come may be, we are also leaving the place we call home. The place where our daughter was born. Where we weathered the storm of a global pandemic. Where I climb the ladder to my rooftop every day to see the ocean and smell the salt. Where my wife began her career. Where I built this business that I love.

There is so much to miss.

As we traverse (sprint?) along this path I think a lot about how many of you can likely relate. San Francisco is a hard place to remain long term. I take pictures and build frames for a lot of families looking to create nostalgic heirlooms before they move away.

That’s why I want to document and share this journey, because in so many ways, we’re in it together. The next few months will be a whirlwind, but I promise (mostly to myself) that I will keep an old film camera around my neck and my notebook close at hand.

Thanks for being here.