ERNEST

has been 'Chris" since childhood, a name encouraged by his mother because it erased his Father. When a child contorts their identity to please adults, it creates a habit that's hard to break. If you're a truth seeker, you eventually run out of road in your curated identity.

I came to know Ernest a little over a year ago; he was going through a tough time, a year and a half of darkness; I rarely saw him smile. When he sat for me, he couldn't contain his grin and inner glow. "I think I'm falling in love." It was kind of a bummer for me because I wanted to capture the brooding character I'd known, Chris. Who was this light and buoyant man? It must be Ernest. His period of darkness was just an unformed transition. 

If we're lucky, we shed many skins in life. We keep what's helpful from our ancestors and discard what's not needed. I've witnessed Ernest transform his relationships, career, and living arrangements. He's been bold in confronting and absorbing his shadow, marrying all the parts of himself that had been left along the way. That journey back to the who, the why, and the what is not easy. How do we evolve, and what is true success? Ernest is a somatic healer who possesses keen insights. He's helped me love myself despite myself. In many ways, he's helped me be whole.

This is my tribute to a transformed life, a peaceful warrior who fights the most cunning opponent: himself. The sparkle in his eye, the unseen future that only he can see, the ray of sun after a storm inspires me to walk down the same path and endure my storms with a sense of wonder, gratitude, and purpose. It is a portrait of friendship, admiration, and hope.