It is easy to always be looking to the future. Wanting, wishing, working toward a goal. To have plans and to be moving toward them. But once in a while, it’s good to look around you and notice where you are. To appreciate where life is and not were it will be… could be… should be… somewhere down the road.
I’m having one of those moments today. Looking around me and saying, “Hey, I’m in a pretty good place!” This feeling was brought on by a conversation I had Friday morning with a fellow engineer/artist friend, who is now retired from the corporate world and pursuing her art full time. As we both shared what we’ve been up to, she commented, “You can tell, you love what you do.”
Everything welled up inside of me. I do. I love what I do. It was a moment of conscious recognition. A moment of acknowledgement, of how lucky I am to do what I love.
I love photography. My passion for this art form has increased as I continue on my journey. Somewhere in the back of my head, I was worried that my love of photography would diminish after I moved home from Italy. That worry was so invalid! I love exploring the world around me, no matter where I am. I love finding scenes like this one, that connect with me and tell stories all their own through my camera lens.
I love writing. I love expressing an idea through words, communicating and connecting with others in this world. I love writing about my journey and the connections to my heart and soul inspired by the images I create. I love taking ideas from other places, thinking about them, exploring them and then transforming them into something new.
I love teaching. For me, teaching is the ultimate way to learn. I love to discover new things, experience new challenges, and gain new skills. I have to organize my thoughts. Transform my experiences into something useful to others. I learn by the process of helping others learn something new and from seeing the varied experiences that are born of that.
And I love so many other aspects of my life. I enjoy my corporate job as an engineering program manager. I get to work with teams of fabulous people and lead projects that matter to the company. I love being with my husband and son. We have fun exploring together and making a life together. I love seeing my son transform as he grows and faces new life experiences, like starting middle school this week.
She was right. I love what I do. All of the different pieces of it. They all fit together into a very full and very fulfilled life. It’s nice to pause and acknowledge that for a moment today.
Where are you? Do you love where you are, and what you do?
What wonderful loves.
Such a great moment of realization — enjoy the moment and file it away for future reference!
Passion makes life so much more interesting!
When you do what you love, all the energy aligns and things are good! I am so happy for you, Kat! You are so generous in sharing your knowledge and encouraging others.
Photography brings me joy and excitement , but I’m in a period of transition and feel a bit off kilter. I am looking forward to being settled in a a new life.
It’s hard to be unsettled and in a state of transition. I certainly know that drill! You will find your “kilter” again, since you are such a grounded and balanced person, Gina. I have no doubt. 🙂
Wow Kat. That’s a great post and your enthusiasm for photography is shining through brightly. As you know, I haven’t been picking up my camera for a while but a recent ‘conversation’ with you reminded me that I too have loved taking photographs. I’ve been pottering around having a go at different things but where that is undoubtedly fun it doesn’t really feed my soul. I’ve been thinking about this and wondering why I don’t stick with something and make it truly my own and I think it may be that I get frightened of not being good enough so I drop it and go on to something else where I can just tell myself I’m a beginner so it’s OK not to be brilliant. But actually I would really LOVE to be brilliant at something. What I need to do is to learn to stick with it through the doubts until I come out the other side feeling I can say ‘this is my passion’, as you have done.
So thanks Kat for being an inspiration – I’ve picked up my camera again, ordered a new camera bag (I know, I know…) and am going to DO THIS THING!!
Angie, continuing on through fear and doubt is absolutely the hardest thing we have to do in our artistic practice. I’m so proud of you for recognizing what is stopping you and picking up the camera again to push past it. If you ever get stuck just drop me a note. It helps to have friends to encourage you along the way!