TMatt PhotographyFearless Fine ArtStop & smell the roses..

I had not planned on blogging anymore this week. However, I had an unexpected event happen tonight that really touched my heart and I wanted to share it

Last week, a friend reached out to me requesting to buy a print. We made arrangements for me to drop it off to her this evening, after I got off of my nursing job.

This was TMatt Photography ‘s first taxable sale. For those not aware, I had a DBA previously that I really didn’t do a lot with. In Aug of this year though, I turned it into a LLC and made it all legit.

My plan was to go drop off the print and speak to her a bit and be off on my way. However, something much better happened instead ..

The power of genuine human connection. Something that is so so powerful but yet seen as being “old fashioned” in today’s society.

Instead of running in and out, I sat down in her kitchen with her. She served me hot tea-in real tea cups–and the tea was poured out from a real tea pot. No plastic, no styrofoam cups with hipster logo’s…just “real”. It was all “real”

We sipped our tea and visited while Stevie Nicks and Bob Dillon played on in the background.

She also gave TMatt Photography it’s first dollar bill. Remember how we used to do that before our fast paced technology took over the world and changed our values?

I was seriously so touched. It means so much to me!

My friend has had some curve balls thrown at her and she is now in a new phase of her life. She shared a lot about that with me. The one thing she regrets is not “stopping to smell the roses” more.

She was self employed so she worked all the time and missed out on a lot of things. This resonated a lot with me because I ve always worked 2 or more jobs.

While visiting with her, I realized that the things, that I was planning on rushing home to, really wasn’t so important anymore.

The “realness” of that human connection, along with the kindness and graciousness that she bestowed on me, was so much more important then what I had originally planned for myself tonight.

I don’t know what the future holds for TMatt Photography but I will always cherish this dollar bill and remember the story behind it. So touching!

May all of you remember the importance of “stopping to smell the roses”

*COMING BACK TO UPDATE THIS POST *

This post was originally written in 2019. Today is Jan 12 2026. .

Out of respect for Lisa, I left something out of the original blog. She had a rare chronic medical condition. That is why she had to slow down. She was physically declining and she was no longer able to do the things that she loved so much.

Sadly, Lisa passed away in 2022. Looking back, I can see this visit was a way to have some human connection and to reflect upon her life. She knew it was coming to an end.

She had the most beautiful spirit and was an amazing person. That last visit touched me in so many ways. I learned so much from her.

I did not find out that she passed until several months after it happened. She had been in the hospital for a while and was not active on social media. She had stopped answering messages and posts.

One day, I had a friend reach out to me. He was in charge of doing an estate sale. While he was going through all the inventory, he came across a picture and he said he immediately knew it was mine. He sent me a screenshot of it. It was Lisa’s picture and it was her estate sale. Thats how I learned of her passing.

I do not think it was a coincidence that my friend ended up doing the sale. He saved the picture for me so I can frame it with the dollar bill she gave me.

For whatever reason, she has been on my mind a lot lately. So, I came back to revisit this post and cherish the memories of our visit.

RIP sweet friend. I hope you are flying high, pain free. I will never forget your beautiful smile and the lesson you taught me about the importance of human connection.