As a television reporter, Krista Watzel had become very familiar with the kinds of stories getting most of the attention. Trials. Shootings. Conspiracies. Every day, something negative. Something always seemed to overshadow the good stories the world had to offer.
“The news focuses so much on the negative,” Krista said. “A lot of times you’ll have press releases with amazing stories coming in from places like the non-profits, but they go to the bottom of the pile. You try to get them in on occasion, but they’re typically held for slow news days, which isn’t very often. There’s just always something else going on.”
Coupled with the negative stories, was the hustle and bustle of living the life of a reporter, and everything that came with it. Picking up everything at a moment’s notice to get the story. Working long, odd hours. Stressful work environments. She began noticing that certain things that were important to her, like the ability to volunteer, were bearing the brunt of her career.
After three years on the job, longing to slow down, Krista decided that it was time for a change. She sought something different. More personal.
“I started wanting to see the good stories in the world,” Krista said. “To really be a part of them.”
She quit her work as a reporter and decided to start her own business as a photographer; a change that has afforded her the ability to be more flexible. To invest time and energy in the things she finds important. Which, for Krista, usually centers on relationships.
And for just over one year, her newfound schedule has allowed Krista to build a special relationship with 11-year-old Amanda.
“An important thing to me in life is relationships,” Krista said. “To really have that relationship with someone is important. And I wanted to gain something from it, too. And that feeling in return is that this is a friendship that I expect to have for a very long time.”
It’s a relationship that has allowed Krista to not only see some of the good things in life, but to be a part of them.
“Laughing with Amanda is one of my favorite things,” Krista said. “It’s a whole different kind of laughter, because it’s based around someone far younger, who doesn’t have the stresses that I, as an adult, have. It’s a pure laughter that, unfortunately, I think we lose as we get older. Which can be sad, because we shouldn’t… but to have that brought back into my life, I feel very fortunate.”
By sharing time and laughter with Amanda, Krista has been able to see a little girl who has all of the potential in the world. And is no in a position to support and encourage her. To let Amanda know that, when her own life gets tough, busy, or out of control, she will always have an extra someone to lean on.
“I enjoy giving her the place to be the rock that she is,” Krista said. “But also giving her the knowledge to know that, if there is a time she doesn’t want to be that rock, that if something ever got bad, that she would have a person that she could call upon that’s totally removed from her family, because she does have a supportive and loving family… but she knows that she can call me up any time if she needs an extra outlet.”
