Where Do You Find Your Sunshine?
No matter the season, it’s possible to find a few brilliant rays of warmth and light.
Even though moving mom to Florida was not what I would consider a vacation, we did have about three full days to relax and take advantage of the 75-80 degree weather. It was a short time, but those three days were glorious. We laid low and managed to stay out of a moving vehicle as much as possible. One late afternoon we enjoyed dinner by the water, including happy hour margaritas. We had lunch at a middle eastern restaurant, where the food was mouth-wateringly delicious and afterwards we sought out a small middle eastern market, bringing home with us some spices and a few other treats. Most of our free time was spent sitting outside at mom’s new place, bathing in the Florida sunshine. Escaping the Ohio winter, I could feel the life pouring back into me. Knowing we would soon be returning to many more days of gray skies and freezing temperatures made that brief time feel wonderfully precious.
I brought my camera along to do a little hobby photography and I found so much joy wandering around snapping pictures of the interesting plant life adorning mom’s new place of residence. It had been awhile since I had last picked up my camera. Why had it been so long?
Back home safely in good ole O-H-I-O, I was editing photos from the trip and a thought occurred to me. As the sun provides us with energy and warmth, there are additional ways in which we may replenish our liveliness. For me, photography is a source of joy and also serves as a source of energy. It is an activity that inspires me, motivates me and fuels my zest for life. Participating in this creative exercise has the ability to make me feel like a person made new; the relief of feeling immersed in the present moment. So, why don’t I take pictures more often? In order to live a life filled with more passion and enthusiasm — my thoughts and actions must become more intentional. Let me say that again: It is vital that I think and act with intention. I must make a concerted effort to seek out activities that help me feel refreshed. I must first ask myself, what activities make me feel reenergized/renewed after doing them? Next, how do I realistically incorporate those activities into my daily or weekly routine? Lastly, how do I give myself the best chance at making these pursuits happen? Oftentimes seemingly simple tasks aren’t always easy to accomplish, but aiming my thoughts towards the intentional is a tool I can use to help shine some light.
Where do you find your sunshine when it seems as if only clouds are overhead? What activities bring you energy and how do you find time to integrate them into your day to day life? I would love to hear about your experience.
Hope you like the photos, thanks for reading.
This little guy/gal is pretty well suited to it’s environment…
