Wednesday, December 19, 2012

THANKFUL

A forgotten photo from this Summer. Shot with my Diana Mini.

Christopher and I both have the tendency to be a little skeptical about Holidays. The consumerism, the expectations, the pressure associated with family get togethers, getting the perfect gift, etc., etc. Personally, Holidays have never been the same for me after I lost my little Brother, Charlee almost 9 years ago. My Mom LOVED making Holidays special for us and so I have a fondness for them in that respect but otherwise it all seems so forced- so much tradition without much thought otherwise behind it.

I do, however, enjoy the fact that the Holidays are a time to (hopefully) reflect and acknowledge what you have to be thankful for. I don't always remember it, but I have a lot to be thankful for. Can I share a small list with you?

I am thankful for:

- Christopher, who supports my every endeavor with all his heart. He's a wonderful friend, husband and bunny rabbit Dad.

- My Mom. There isn't another person on Earth that I admire and look up to more. She's the most courageous, strong, beautiful, insightful and thoughtful person I know. I hope to one day be 50% the woman she is!

- Our bunnies, Franny & Seymour. How is it that a human can have such love for two small creatures? I adore them.

- My friends. It is such a warming feeling talking to someone who truly knows you and sharing your life with them. My heart swells knowing that I am fortunate enough to have a group of girls that have made the effort to stay in touch and remain "best friends" even though we are all so far from each other / don't have the opportunity to see each other as often as we'd like.

- The Internet. Is this a silly thing to be thankful for? I don't really care. The Internet allows me to explore the art of others, to connect with people I wouldn't have met otherwise, to remain in contact with old friends and to keep building relationships, to find out the answers to almost any question that may cross my mind, and it keeps me entertained and inspired!

- The Impossible Project. This group of people that forged a company to keep instant film alive truly inspires me. It hardly seems like they're a company at all. It seems more fitting to call them a group of enthusiasts propagating their love for instant analog photography. I've made so many friends through the instant film community fostered by The Impossible Project and am so grateful for their enthusiasm, hard work, generosity, passion for photography and for all that they do to keep us engaged/entertained/connected!

- My health

- My job. While so many Americans are struggling to stay on their feet, I am fortunate enough to have a job that encourages me to keep shooting film. I am also very grateful that Christopher is able to free-lance and have extra time to pursue his dream- making music.

- Music. The magic that hearing a song which takes you back to a specific memory will never cease to amaze me. I am in no way musically inclined so I really appreciate the folks that have the gift to put some words to a tune in a way that can be so meaningful to another person. What a wonderful form of expression!

Last but not least, I am thankful for Ryan Gosling. Have you seen The Notebook? Have you heard Dead Mans Bones?

This week, I'm going to remind myself not to get stressed out about finding the perfect gift for my sister in laws or feeling a ton of pressure to get Christmas cards out in time (I do love sending letters though!) - I'm going to think about all the wonderful things in my life! (Am I gloating?)

XO

1 comment:

  1. This is a beautiful post Azuree. A wonderful list of wonderful things. *hugs*

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