To worship with abandon means to fully let go of pretenses; to come to the feet of the divine and allow yourself to be seen. That is what I experienced at the Wild Roses Festival in July. Women came together and removed the masks they wear in the world and let each other touch the truth of their souls. It was beautiful. Painfully beautiful and raw. In a world that glorifies grit and hardness, being soft is a revolution. The women I met, talked to, and was privileged to photograph, embodied the strength in softness as they came together to sit at each other’s feet and absorb acceptance and love, which was bountifully given.

How beautiful.

How fucking beautiful it was to witness.

How transformative it was to receive. The moment soft wrinkled hands cupped my face with a grandmotherly love I had never experienced before, I fell into a puddle of tears. She said, “Oh sweetheart, you were never seen. You just need to be seen.” She put her forehead to mine and at that moment I knew this is what all women need. We need each other. We need to learn from and listen to each other. We need to be witnesses to each other’s truths. We need to encourage and support each other in the rising of our wildness. We need to remember.