by Mario Dimain

Created on: November 17, 2009   Last Updated: November 25, 2009

The name Edward Punz is a name that is synonymous to the word 'success'.

There was a real man behind the name. He was a classic example of a rags-to-riches story. He grew up in the poor side of New York, where only the strong ones survive and only those with a dream and the guts to pursue it get out.

Edward Punz was a self-made man. He did not have formal training in photography but through his pure passion for the art, mixed with unyielding perseverance, he proved himself among the top photographers in the universe.

His special ability to see the hidden beauty in things that might otherwise go unnoticed and the gift to artistically express it in a photographic way, distinguished him above the rest. He found his niche and won the admiration of well-respected photographers from around the world. The larger- than- life photographic achievements of Edward Punz gained international recognition. Honours were awarded to him by national newspapers and magazines. He became the most sought out portrait photographer by the elites in the high society.

Yet, through it all, behind the glitter of the rich and the famous, Edward Punz, the man behind the famous name was not as happy as everybody thought. There was something missing. A void needed to be filled. Edward did not know what it was or where to find it; he just knew that he had the urge to search for answers.

One evening, while receiving another prestigious award for photographic excellence, it dawned on him that his life had revolved around fortune and fame. He missed out on the true meaning of life. He was constantly on the move, sleeping in expensive hotels from city to city rather than in a permanent home. He had women but none of them stayed long enough. He never had a lasting relationship. He was rich and famous but lived a lonely life.

The following morning, he woke up a new man. He put everything on hold to make time for his personal quest. He walked to the street, hailed a cab and headed to the airport. He had no clue on where to go; he was just following his intuition. He was going on a blind journey to find the elusive answers.

For the first time in his life, Edward felt so free. There were no restricting schedules, no deadlines to meet, just complete freedom. He took the next flight available out of the country to anywhere and the decision was as easy as drawing a number out of a hat. He did not care where the plane was going; he just went with the flow.

The random intercontinental trips widened Edward's vision on other more important aspects of life. From Africa, Europe, Australia to Asia, he observed and learned many cultures but it was not until he landed in the Philippines and met the two boys in the barrio of San Miguel, that he found the answer.

The answer was spiritual. Edward Punz realized that he had been disconnected from God for too long, but through a ten-year-old boy's unwavering Christian faith and his unconditional love for his blind brother, Edward Punz found God again.

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