At this very moment, , I can truly say that I am the happiest I have ever been in my entire life… in a deep and consistent way. This happy place does not come from a lack of challenging circumstances, a presence of really cool circumstances nor any other human being. It simply comes from a surrender to living smack dab in the center of God’s unique will and plan for me.
If 30 years ago I was asked to [in a bullet point fashion] describe where I would be right now, I would have missed nearly every detail. Yet, I wouldn’t change any of them. Nor the path it took to get me here.
At some point along the way, I looked up.
As a child, I felt the light… like really, really felt it. I vividly remember details of moments while swinging on the swing-set behind the garage next to my mom’s laundry line and feeling the strong sun on my face. Without thinking, I would close my eyes, my body would lean back into the arc of the swing and I would absorb the sun. For a very long time.
As a photographer, I learned about light. I learned about an exposure triangle [don’t go away, this is the only techie sentence of this blog] so I could appropriately measure & control the amount of light necessary to achieve a properly exposed image negative. Then I really learned about light. I remembered the light I experienced on my swing-set and running between my mother’s bed sheets snapping on the laundry line. I also remember early morning light because my father was an early-morning-get-on-the-road-for-our-family-vacation kind of a guy. Although I wasn’t fond of being pulled out of bed in what seemed to be the middle of the night for a wee child, I was exposed to the experience of watching the day go from pitch black …to blue light… and then to the most magical, sweet light in all of creation.
Morning [vs. evening] sweet light is my favorite for several reasons. Personally, I simply function better in the morning. The blackboard in my mind is washed clean. I am rested. No one else is up [I’m an introvert and this is a big deal.]. Filling my creative pitcher this way is the perfect way to start my day. And, the cherry on top is the potential for morning dew…which creates glistening. I adore glistening. It makes my heart flutter.
Life is all about the light. You have to figure yours out. My blueprint wouldn’t work for you. Look up and find your own. And remember, it’s all about the light.
