Walter Smith has been photographing his mother and father in their later years. It is a story of changes, challenges and selfless love, even if coming a bit late in their lives. He shares his experiences below in thoughtful words and imagery everyone can relate to today.

I've stumbled into documenting my parents over the years. A simple portrait here and there has started adding up to something more like a story. I like having the images...seeing them change...seeing how I've changed. I've never been sure when a series is complete....maybe it never ends and just transitions to something else.

This is my mother. She has been the woman at the sink hand washing every dish because a dishwasher will not get them clean. She spent 80% of her day at that counter...at that window. She started to develop an issue with her heart, and I watched as my father anxiously and tenderly took care of her in the hospital. Their relationship changed after that. As my mother became a bit less like my mother, my father became someone kinder and more patient than the person I grew up with. It has been beautiful to watch. 

My mother's mobility started to wane as did her thought process. They had to leave their larger home and downsize to something more manageable. She angrily walked around in a housecoat and swept every inch of their old home just before they left for a new place. She has not forgiven my father for "making them move." She has not forgiven the family that neglected to pay her 80 years ago when she babysat for them. She has large gaps in her memory, and as they grow so does my father's patience. It’s Alzheimer's or dementia. She shuffles now...she talks of bitterness regarding her loss of independence. She asks Rhea to fix the dropped stitches in the potholders she tries to knit. My father continues to find compassion and patience and loves her for who she was and who she now is. That's their marriage. See more of the story here. 

Be sure to check out more of Walter’s work at his new site  Follow him @waltersmithphoto. Find more news and updates for us @dougtruppe.