Our friend Mandy McKillip is a successful dream catcher, as is my wife; I wish my photo folder were full of people who pursue and achieve their dreams as Mandy has.

Mandy is a highly respected massage therapist in our small town; she’s booked up weeks in advance. She is one of Maria’s closest friends and a longtime friend of mine. She was a student in my writing class and did great work.

She has worked hard and raised two children, living happily in New York City. However, she has always dreamed of traveling to India and playing the drums in a band. She’s done both.

Writing was not one of her dreams, but playing the drums in a jazz band was, and two years ago, she began preparing to play with her new partner, Dave.

We saw her performing with Dave and his band last night, and she looked as comfortable as if she had been drumming for years.

It is a sweet thing to pursue one’s dreams and find them.

Mandy and Maria share many things – they are both tough working-class women who insist on living the life they wish, not the life other people tell them to live. Both are doing what they want to do, living as they wish to live.

As you all know ad nauseam, these people are sacred to me, and these are the people whose portraits I take in my Dream Gallery.

Almost every week, Mandy and Maria find time to meet and have lunch. When it’s warm, they sit outside in our backyard. I often take photos from a distance. It lifts the spirit to see them laughing and talking together. We had great fun seeing Mandy drum last night. She seemed very happy.

When I had my open heart surgery, Mandy worked with me over the phone – energy healing on the phone when I got home, and also in person – and I was astonished by how well it worked and comforted me.

My dream gallery is filling up these days; it is one of the joys of my life. Aside from publishing pictures of fascinating animals, the blog was meant to do well. If you search for dreamers, you will find them everywhere. If I can help them in any way, like clapping for them or taking a good portrait,  it’s a blessing. Maria and Mandy don’t need my help to meet their dreams, but I am happy to see it happen.

Mandy playing the drums in her jazz band. Her partner, Dave, is in the center.