Reach For The Stars
I love sharing my client’s stories through portraits and interviews.
Charleen is originally from Gaston, South Carolina. This beautiful 60 year old has a wonderful outlook on life. Here are a few snippets from Charleen’s interview.
What made you get pictures done?
I have not had them done in a very long time. Pictures are a luxury for me and everyone needs to feel good about themselves.
How do you think the definition of beauty has changed over the years?
The definition of beauty has many different meanings. For me, beauty means what is on the inside. Understanding how a person feels and helping others. Reaching out to people and caring about them is what makes people beautiful
What would you tell your 20-year-old self?
Reach for the stars. There is nothing too big out there that you cannot do if you really want to do it. Just bite the bullet and get it done.
When do you feel you were the most confident in life?
I have felt the most confident as a grandparent. I have enough knowledge to know when to back off and when to be more stern. You can love them and not be so strict with them. I feel like I have been a good grandparent in that I can love on them, let them be themselves and let them fall down if they need to.
What is something on your bucket list?
One thing on my bucket list was jumping out of an airplane which I did two years ago. I would like to catch a huge sailfish and I would also like to go higher ballooning. My bucket list is pretty long.
What advice would you give your children?
Put God first in your life. If they put God first in their life, then everything else falls where it is supposed to. We miss out on so many blessings that God has for us because we are so busy doing what we think we are supposed to be doing instead of asking God what he would have us do and we get in our own way.
How would the people around you describe you?
Independent, head strong, possibly a workaholic. I would hope people would describe me as sincere and honest and caring.
What is your favorite quote or scripture?
My favorite scripture is “Be Still and know.” God just wants us to know who he is. Most of the time he has to sit us down or to knock us down for us to truly be still and know who is in charge. Through the cycle of life, we don’t realize till we lose our parents that it is the way God intends it to be because we don’t know what it is like to truly depend on God until we don’t have someone who we have always depended on. When we have our rock knocked out from under us that is when we truly get to know God and realize he is our rock.
Be sure to click on the video and hear Charleen in her own words. Hair and makeup by @beautybylizyturria. For more information on the 40 over 40 portraits, please visit www.brandiblake.com
