A letter to my photography professor

JM, how are you? I really miss you, especially that I haven’t spoken to you ina really long time. I hope you are doing well.

You know they say that people come into our lives and impact our future. Some more than others. Some less than others. Because I ordered a drink from a certain Barista will mean that I’m getting a stronger latte. You, my dear friend, did so much more than giving me a strong espresso drink. You altered my perception of reality.

There I was, almost done with college, needed extra credits and found photography 101 accommodating to my schedule. Of course it’s an easy A, I told my friends. I went to the first day of class and I left it knowing that I can’t survive it for the rest of the semester. Not going to survive it, not because it was hard but because I knew it was going to change the rest of my life.

JM, today I go museums, galleries and have endless conversations with people. You know why? It’s because I took your class. Notice I said conversations with people and not conversations about art with people. That’s because it’s not only art I can talk about because I took that introductory class.

I’m sure many people can’t believe that a course can change your life. It is true, I agree, a course can’t change your life. However, a course with you changed mine. The way I see things, analyze them and talk about them is done by a process that could only be attributed to your influence to my thinking.

JM, thank you for teaching me, for being my mentor, for challenging my limits and for being my friend. Words can express many feelings we have; but, I don’t think enough words will ever express my feelings of gratitude and love for you and how you’ve touched my life. I will say this again: JM, thank you.