Lesley

is pure goddess to me. We’ve been friends for 6-7 years, in two bands together and various other creative collaborations. She’s a combustive mix of feminine, masculine, grit and grace. A voice that soars to melodic peaks and then vibrates in delicious depths. The overall effect somehow validates my time here on earth, that’s the power of sound, her sound. Most importantly, she has a strong back, a requirement for anyone in band. You haul HEAVY equipment before you even play a note, and then you haul it home.

She’s fiercely intelligent and teaches me regularly. I bask in her light and she realigns my thinking on what’s important and what’s not. And to think we met on “Nextdoor”. I created a post for the unplayed instruments in the neighborhood, something to the effect of, “Grab your owners, let’s play for Nursing Homes” She responded, the only one for that matter.

Yes, sometimes we get lucky.

In the beginning we had a familiarity and comfort a seemingly shared past that outweighed our time spent together. That’s happened before in other friendships but not with anyone that has as many gifts as Lesley. The most remarkable aspect to me is that she embraces her stage in life and embodies a rugged beauty and toughness that comes from living.

We earn who we become and if cherished, evolve into the most supreme version of our selves. The crown of our time here. Lesley embodies all of these beliefs, she’s pure grace and for me that’s the definition of “beauty”. She doesn’t shrink, her light brightens everyday and she is the ultimate #portraitofafriend