Be strong, this image first whispered to me. You are strong, I felt inside as I looked at it. My heart resonated with the message. These letters have weathered a lot. You can tell, by the scuffed paint and the textured brick. But they have been carefully preserved, too. Notice the bricks around them, how they’ve been scrubbed clean but the letters have been saved. A message for those that come after. A message for my heart.
As I’ve grown older, I look less and less to external validation. The insecurities of my youth have been replaced with a quiet confidence. Confidence in my strength, and also my vulnerabilities. I’ve learned that admitting vulnerabilities and imperfections doesn’t make us less of a person. It makes us human. Accepting ourselves as we are makes us stronger.
I want this kind of strength, to weather what life brings and to share my purpose and passion regardless of the imperfections.
I have this kind of strength within me already.
That is the message of my Photo-Heart Connection this month. A message of strength, confidence, and empowerment. As I mentioned yesterday, I was surprised that this photo, of all of them, had the strongest heart connection. It seemed like it was bashing me over the head in some ways, being so obvious. But as I went with my feelings and wrote about my connection today, I can see why this photo connects with my heart so deeply. This was the message I needed to uncover.
What did you discover in your Photo-Heart Connection this month? I look forward to visiting you, and reading about your heart connection as you link in.
If you would like to learn more about what I mean by a “photo-heart connection” and how I chose my photo for this month, visit yesterday’s post. You can also find the guidelines for participating here. The link up will be open through February 7th.
Yes you are strong. I don’t doubt that for a minute. I love images that include text-I must take the time to notice if what the text says resonates within me, or I’m just drawn to the lettering. I would not have noticed the scrubbed clean bricks…strength deserves to be preserved.
I wish you great success with this linky. I loved being on the Find Your Eye journey and this gives me a chance to re-visit that and carry myself on with it.
It will be interesting to notice if the words you capture speak to you in a deeper way, Susan! So glad you are continuing the journey started in Find Your Eye.
Kat – I absolutely love your photo. This speaks to me so deeply. Your message and why it touches is also very inspiring. I do a post every Monday on my blog called messages from the universe and I photograph words that I see when I am out that make me think about my life, my art and who I am.
I especially love this photo for the word – STRONG – but also because it is on a brick wall, it is worn, yet prominent. Beautiful!
I love your “messages from the universe” idea! What a great way to celebrate the encouragement in the world around us.
I love your STRONG image, Kat. That solid brick wall is the ideal place for this message. I wonder who put it there? I think we can all dig deep and find strength, but sometimes we don’t realize that it’s there.
The word was part of a Levi’s add, probably from long, long ago. Isn’t it interesting what messages we can find in our images, when we take away the context.
Love your image and your connection to it, Kat. It is wonderful that it is on this brick wall, that enhances the ‘strong’…
I’m working on mine. It’s such a wonderful and thoughtful exercise to go through images and search for my connection.. Thank you for hosting!
I look forward to seeing what you find Esra, when you link in.
This statement particularly spoke to me, “The insecurities of my youth have been replaced with a quiet confidence. Confidence in my strength, and also my vulnerabilities.” I agree that we are both strong and vulnerable and that embracing both we are our fullest selves. I am grateful for your site and excited to participate and delve deeper into the photographs I take.
I am glad that my heart connection also connected for you you! It’s great to have you joining, Irene.
This is a wonderful shot. I like the perspective and the color. Lots of depth.
I was pacing the floor until you posted this morning!! I just couldn’t wait for this project to get started! And, you started it so well! Beautiful post and such wonderful thoughts! I think I need this word plastered on my wall!! Self-acceptance and confidence are issues I struggle with! I will say this, I have a lot more confidence now that I did a year ago when I started in photography!! Thank you for that, Kat!!!
Pacing the floor! LOL, Cathy. 🙂 I’m so excited it has started too. I’m glad the post has encouraged you too, we can share this photo-heart connection.
Great photo & thoughts- thanks for this idea, I do love thinking about my photos in this way so it’s great to be encouraged to do it.
It helps to have a little goal sometimes, doesn’t it?
I love this image, and the connection between the image, the word and the feeling is very evident.
Thank you Carolyn!
Kat, I really enjoyed your post, the image and, most of all, the message! Thanks for sharing and letting us all participate with you!
I love what you said about looking less and less for external validation. I’ve very recently discovered that full acceptance of who I am, exactly as I am right now, is what makes me happy. I sure wish I’d known that when I was a teenager!
This photo is perfect. The word, the bricks, the punctuation (showing that no elaboration is necessary). This photo really struck a chord with me. Thank you!
Bumped into your blog and love your idea… I am on cell phone and can’t play right now but hope to be able to partipate, I know my exact heart photo without even looking… Look forward to exploring here later~
So glad you stopped by! I look forward to seeing your heart photo…
Kat, this word describes you well. Strong, period. Of course, we all have our doubts and insecurities, but moving on, staying on course in spite of them, is to me the very definition of “strong.” I see your strength in every post, when you open your heart and share your honest self with us. I’m glad you recognize and feel your own strength.
Thank you for this Photo-Heart Connection series. It’s another great opportunity for understanding how photography relates to myself and others. Here’s to Continuing the Journey.
“Here’s to Continuing the Journey” – yes! I have an image in my head of us clinking glasses of champagne, as we celebrate our journey with photography. Love it!
Kat – first of all, thank you for providing this forum, this opportunity to review my images and “connect” with the emotional story behind them. You have created a special place.
I really liked what Lori had to say about “messages from the universe”. That is what I think this is – this word “Strong”. A celebration of all you have accomplished in your creative life and what you have learned about confidence and being vulnerable.
You are welcome Brenda! I’m so excited about this place and the group that is forming around this. Thank you for your added word – “celebration” – that fits so well with how this image makes me feel!
This photography journey has been such an interesting one, one I have learned so much about. I often wish I could give everyone a camera – the world would be a different place for the person behind it and for all of us because of it. I am always amazed when my heart is open to it what I learn from my photos after I take them, the messages that the universe sends to us on an unconcious level – or maybe it’s our subconsious speaking to us?
What a fabulous connection to your image, one that I can feel as well. And I’m so glad to have a place to share and seek from others what they learn as well. Thank you!! (My one word I chose for myself this year is explore, and this challenge helps me do that) Kim
Kat, your photo and your words…indeed your entire enterprise…are absolutely empowering to you and to others, like me, who have had opportunity to learn from you. This latest venture is inspired! I have truly enjoyed everyone’s contribution to this first Photo-Heart Connection. The words and images are special in and of themselves, but there are also some wonderful life lessons here. Good job!
Thanks Wanda. I’m finding it so inspiring to visit all of these photo-heart connections and learn more about each person, and myself, with each post I read. Love it!
Hi Kat. Thanks for coming up with this great idea.
When I first started with photography I never imagined that I would also be learning so much more from inside of myself!
I think of you as strong and balanced. With both engineering and photography in your life, the left and right sides of your brain must be so balanced!!
“I never imagined I would also be learning so much more from inside of myself!” – So true Phyllis! It’s taken a while, but I do finally feel like I have found balance between the two sides of me. And it’s good!
Hey Kat: Just updated my blog with my heart-connection. I tried using the link tool, but it says that the link is not a direct link to my post and then it redirects me back. Not sure I understand this process, and I’m sure it’s operator error. Sorry. But anyway, it’s out there today at http://www.gothamgirlphotography.com Great exercise! Thank you!
Hi Robin – So glad you are joining in! To get the direct link to your post, click on the post title. When the page reloads, copy the URL from your browser. Here is what I copied for your link: http://gothamgirlchronicles.com/photography-2/connection/
With this link, and you should be able to link in with no problems. Try it out and let me know.
I love your photo’s and our alway’s great story’s behind that pictures.
For me language is hard because of a cva thats the reason I try to catch what I will say in so less words I can use in the hope that people understand what I mean and let do the picture the rest. But its not realy so important for me what other people think because I have had the fun taking that photo..
But its more I asked can I do participate in this link, You looked already to my knuf photo and leave a comment, I try to leave comment by pictures wich called me for a reason. But I haven’t told a story about that photo.
Els, just do your best to describe your heart connection to the photo with the words you have available. That’s all you need to do to participate in the Photo-Heart Connection. You did this beautifully!
I like what you write about finding your personal strength…for me, it’s something that I’ve gained with age (or maturity, or whatever…). I sure wish I could’ve found it earlier in life…that certain self-confidence that some seemingly are born with. One of my biggest wishes for my children is that they discover how strong they can be, at a time when they need their strength the most; during their childhood and teenage years!
I know what you mean, Tezzie. I think for some of us, the only way we can get to the strength is to grow through those periods of terrible self-confidence. It’s hard-won and valued when we get here though!
So many inspiring images and words already! I love the heart-connection already! (Joining in too).
Yay Jozica! So glad to have you joining in.
your words are inspiring kat. i’m sorry i didn’t get to write down my photo-heart connection in time to link up this month, i’ll try harder next time! it was great to visit a few links and see what others did. beautiful work everyone 🙂
Really love reading and seeing the connections in everyone’s posts.
I especially love what you mentioned about the bricks being scrubbed clean, except for the word strong. That’s makes it even more amazing.
I’m having technical issues linking up (the button won’t load and I think because of that the link widget can’t find a link in my post — I think it might be because of the blogger template I’m using, but I’m not sure. I’ve exceeded my trouble-shooting capabilities at this point LOL).
I really enjoyed going through my January archives and picking a photo that sang to my heart.
http://www.alexis-yael.com/2012/02/photo-heart-connection-january.html