Often times I find myself longing for an incredible vacation, or searching for new furniture to redecorate a room in my home. We can get overwhelmed with wants, and to do’s that we may forget to find those little joys that our life is filled with. I love vacations, decorating my home and I sweater shop like it’s my job, but I refuse to let myself stop seeing the wonders of life that we need to feel joy, the real kind of joy, the kind you can’t buy. Sunsets, moonrises, a warm drink in the morning, a deer peering through the woods, a long hug from a child or pet… those are some of my favorites. Often times at photoshoots I will run off mid-session chasing after a butterfly to photograph leaving my clients wondering if they’re paying for the butterfly or for their own photos, I smile because maybe it can give them something to laugh at, maybe it will make them realize we aren’t supposed to always be going point A to point B and photo sessions aren’t supposed to feel like work, but more like an hour of connection with your loved ones, an hour of freedom. Free spirit is what creatives, artists and photographers are usually called but we are all free spirits! Last night I was laying in bed scrolling through Facebook when I saw a post saying, the moon is incredible, go fast! Well I have dozens of moon photographs so ignoring that would’ve been fine but it certainly isn’t about the photograph, it’s the experience. Immediately I ran full speed through the house in my nightgown, barefoot down the rocky driveway, it was buried in trees so I hopped on the golf cart and drove further to the perfect view. For that minute I stared at the bright globe in the sky I thought of nothing else. It’s a feeling that we can have anytime we decide to enjoy the “normal” things. Each morning on the way to school last year I would say, boys look!!! The sunrise is so beautiful, often times they wouldn’t even look, but I knew I was teaching them something regardless. The other day one said mom look, I smiled not because of the painted colors in the sky but because it worked! My husband has seen me run to see the moon so many times, yet he has rarely if ever joined me, it doesn’t mean anything bad, it just means he has lost his wonder a bit and I will make him find it again, something that has overcome so many of us, one day soon, I imagine he will say, Crystal LOOK! I just know it! I refuse to lose my wonder. I hope you all enjoy your long weekend, big adventures that have obvious beauty or staying home having to search for it a little more. Both equally beautiful.
xo
