Heavenly Peach Photography

I checked the mail, opened the card, and then cried… for at least 15 minutes… before I was able to leave our mailbox.

What kind of Christmas card would cause those kind of tears? The kind that included 7 memories… 7 photos of a friend I haven’t seen in 3 years… 7 photos of that friend and her husband, who she lost in Afghanistan on August 6th of this year. She included a lovely note honoring his memory and saying thank you for the outpouring of support she has received, which of course only intensified the tears.

Were there professional photos on that card? No. Did there need to be? Of course not. Those 7 snapshots were more powerful than any professional photo I have ever seen, because there was meaning behind them. A professional photographer isn’t always around when you’re in the midst of a meaningful moment or memory. So it’s up to you to be the record keeper for yourself and for your family and friends.

You don’t have to lose 10 pounds first, you don’t have to have makeup on, heck you don’t even have to had showered first. Who cares what anyone looks like in a fleeting moment that you want to remember. 20 years down the road you’re probably just going to be making fun of your ridiculous clothing choices anyway, so the rest is irrelevant.

I take photos of other people for a living, but often times forget to take plenty photos of my own family and life. When I was trying to pick our photos for our Christmas card, I had so few of me, my husband, and my son all together.  And practically none of just me and my husband! I mean, we’ve had this brilliant relationship for the last 13 years, yet almost no pictures of just the two of us in 2011? So sad! So I’m going to change that this year. I’m making it a point to at least take one photo a day (doesn’t matter with which camera!). I’ll keep a running record on my Flickr page if you’re interested.

While today’s latest smart phones have pretty great cameras, I suggest still at least keeping around a good point-and-shoot to help record your life. And do something with the photos you take… print them for a change instead of just keeping them on your phone or computer. Maybe put them in an album. And do yourself a favor and print them BIGGER than a 4×6 to frame. Photos look more and more beautiful the larger you print them… Get out of your comfort zone and try at least an 8×10 next time! And don’t let your intimidation of fancy cameras (or maybe just laziness? Hey, we have ALL been guilty of that!) keep you from preserving the moments that mean the most to you in life. Life passes by so quickly and you never know what tomorrow holds, so do what you can to remember what puts a sparkle in your eye, and enjoy every last drop of love and fun and happiness that you can.

As for that friend I mentioned in the beginning of this post… what would she be left with without those photos to look back on and remember her husband? Her own memories, yes, but as time passes memories fade… so take photos, print them, and hold them close forever. She took the time to capture those precious moments, and now not only does she have those photos to look back on, but she was able to share them with others who may have not been there in that moment… and now I have that Christmas card attached to my refrigerator, among other memories, where I can honor them daily.

“Yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mystery, but today is a gift. That is why it is called the present.” -Kung Fu Panda

What’s your most recent favorite snapshot? Here’s mine.

Jose and Max. First morning snuggle of 2012.

I spent a little bit of time this morning thinking about what I wanted to center my day around and how I wanted to begin my 60-day yoga + artistic journey.

I’ve been very quick to get frustrated or irritated the last few days, which is just stressful on the mind and body and totally unnecessary, and NOT who I want to be. Patience is something I’m really great with at times, and really bad with on other occasions. This 60-day journey is going to require a LOT of patience. My quest for better health requires me to trust the process. As does trying to successfully conceive and give birth to a (second) child. Paying off student loans requires a ton of patience. And trying to learn how to run and grow a (successful) photography business sometimes requires more patience than I can stand. I can occasionally get impatient when it takes me more than 15 minutes to get Max down for a nap or bedtime or when bug bites keep showing up on Max and I can’t find the source fast enough.

But why?

I find myself in a hurry more and more these days, and I just want to slow down and remember to enjoy every second of life. My good friend Bridgett just got back from going to Nepal with her family not too long ago, and she took a picture of a sign during her trip with this quote on it:

“It doesn’t matter where you go; it doesn’t matter what you do. The focus needs to be on this existence. The focus needs to be on the gift you have been given. Then, and only Then, peace will come in your life. Before that, you will only have quiet moments. Not peace.”

Perfect. Beautiful. And worth exploring and applying, in part, to my quest for patience today (and always).

As I started the day, I thought, “this is a piece of cake!” I’ll take the back way to yoga class instead of the toll road. Easy. I’ll set my cruise control at or under the speed limit, because I’m not in a hurry. Easy. I’ll take a deep breath when someone cuts me off in their car. Done. Arrived at Yoga Yoga, and took our time getting out of the car. I usually rush because I don’t want Max to get cranky just sitting there. Today, nice and slow and easy. Once class began, it was another story.

It’s Wednesday, so I also thought that patience would be a good start because on Wednesday’s I usually take Max to Sarah’s crawlers & toddlers yoga class… and boy does that require patience when I have a toddler who has no very little patience these days.

I dearly miss Bridgett bringing her sweet daughter Satya to these classes (they’ve embarked on their own journeys, but are thankfully still nearby here in Texas!). They have such a calming and patient presence about them. I felt like that just by being in their company, Max and I were already in better spirits and able to patiently handle any challenges that presented themselves during class (i.e., learning the art of sharing, the strong desire for another toddler’s snacks, etc.). I find myself constantly inspired by Bridgett and her family, and hope to use that inspiration as part of my 60-day journey.

A photo I took of Satya and Bridgett in March 2011

Sharing was an issue for Max today in class, and I felt that I did all I could to help teach him… But today I so had that kid. For example, the kid who threw tantrums when he couldn’t have a toy that someone else was playing with. You know that kid. I felt so bad for him because I just wasn’t able to ease his mind and show him that it’s a good thing to share and take turns.  And of course, this wore my own patience thin. Deeeeep breath. The second class ended, I bolted like the building was on fire. My patience was next to nothing, and I just plain felt embarrassed by Max’s behavior. Of course he screamed as I put him in his car seat, and then of course was perfectly happy on the way home.

I got a total of maybe 5 or 10 minutes of actual yoga practice in today. A bit of a rough start to my journey. And when my patience wears thin, I get exhausted. When I’m exhausted, my creativity is squashed.

But I intend to turn this day around. Learn from my impatience. Appreciate the fact that I got to do any yoga at all and was able to stay centered and focused for that short period of time. Max and I had a quiet and enjoyable lunch at home together. And now he’s happily napping. I’m sitting and breathing and writing. And drinking iced tea because it’s sooo hot outside. I can’t wait for cooler weather! WAIT. Patience. Rather, I will ENJOY summer while it’s here and all it has to offer, and be grateful for each day I am given. Why be impatient and let life pass you by?

What does patience mean to you? What does it look like? What makes you impatient? Why? How do you deal with it and learn from it?

I just took the photo below as yet another symbol of (im)patience in my life. I’m currently not a very good gardener, so keeping flowers and plants alive around our house is a test of my patience. I’m trying to patiently learn how to do this better! We’re getting there… At least there are more live blooms than dead ones…

Words cannot describe how much my love for Max grows every second of every day.  He’s simply amazing in the most complex way possible.

They grow up so fast.

Max’s sweet little baby feet and toes when he was just six days old – November 5, 2009

Max’s adorable toddler feet at about 14 1/2 months old – January 12, 2011

As some wise fellow yoga mamas once told me, “The days are long, but the years are quick.”