Peggy Green is a special education teacher at Webster Thomas HS.  However, like so many of us, she is much more than the work position she fills. When we sat down to discuss her life and what her story might be, she touched on all that has made her who she is today. We finally settled on a few aspects of her story that we felt said it best; her health and the necessity to multi-manage the various branches of her life.  Many can identify and empathize with Peggy because juggling the work, family, health triangle is something we deal with every day.  Her dedication as a teacher, love of family,  and sense of humor certainly help get her through the rough times.

In her words:

 "Always juggling and never settling.  These two phrases are the essences to who I am.  As the oldest daughter I helped with dinner, did my chores, got good grades, helped with my siblings, and today check on my dad.  As a wife, I love, support, and respect my husband. As a mom, my kids hopes and dreams always came first, but what about me? My health, my dreams, my hopes.  Just like a juggler, the ball that is my health gets thrown way up in the air to deal with later while I juggle the others balls, daughter, wife, mom, that are my life.  A degree at 43, a job that I love at 48, and heart surgery at 50 because that ball finally fell from the air. Despite everything, I still keep juggling and promise to never settle.  Always looking at the future."

Peggy Green

Special Education Teacher

Webster Thomas High School

Thank you for visiting my blog. Make sure to share the love to Peggy with a comment.

This entry is the last of the 2018 project. I want to thank each and every participant for opening up their life to me, for being brave in sharing their stories and trusting me with the visuals.  I have grown so much as a photographer and creative as a result of this project and am extremely proud of the body of work I've created.  Work has begun on part 2 so stay tuned!

For more information about this project, check out the WHEC-TV 10 story Here

Next up is from my photography project, We All Have a Story, is Janet.  Janet's story is one of loss, sacrifice, hope, and love. I met her at a local coffee shop where we discussed everything from children, marriage, and relationships to losing and gaining self-esteem as well as her work as an educator.  For so many of us, we have a lot of personal stories to tell so the interview is such a key part of this process to help focus in on one particular story or concept.  To say Janet has been through the wringer is an understatement, but where she is now is a true statement of the type of person she is. Her daughters mean the world to her and the fact that she chose to be photographed in front of her home speaks to what she has earned on her own.

 In her words:

My Heart

It’s a fragile thing, this heart of mine

It’s been lost, broken & tangled like twine

This heart has been used

This heart has been abused

It’s been shattered when others have felt the truth didn’t matter

When a lover says one thing and does another, pieces break and like the four winds scatter

It’s a fragile thing, this heart of mine.

It seeks light when there’s none, holds on through storms, with a grip from none

And continues to love, and hope, even though love is done

This heart seeks to love where there has been only pain

This heart yearns for companionship amidst angst and strain

It’s been questioned and severed, been leveraged and denied

When lost and broken, this heart has even cried

It’s a fragile thing, this heart of mine… and yet

It loves with a strength stronger than steel

It craves the light and yearns to feel

This heart is willing to suffer again… and again

To ride the storm and endure the pain, for when…

When the once in a lifetime will finally arrive

This heart will heal and at long last shall thrive

It’s a fragile thing, this heart of mine

…But I give it to you

JBE

9/21/2017

Janet Enright

Literacy Specialist

Spry Middle School

For more information about this project, please visit my other posts as well the WHEC-TV 10 news story here.

And feel free to leave a comment for Janet or me!