This beach is a touchstone of my life. I watch the young woman sifting through the sand on the shore. I know she is searching for shark’s teeth on this Indian summer day. I am mesmerized by her quiet concentration. I let go of fear and self-doubt and remind myself of the good things about myself.

“Perfectionism doesn’t have to run our lives. It’s there, but we can lean into it with understanding and a soft heart. The more we practise lowering our bar of expectation, the better we become at accepting ourselves for who we are, flaws and all. None of us is perfect. It’s important to remember that there is much beauty in imperfection.” —Chantelle Grady

 

I seek to discover a meaning in what I photograph rather than to impose one. It’s been a long time coming . . . the understanding that the meaning is within me. I store these moments of beauty, gleaned from my daily rounds, saving them for nourishment, protection, and salvation. They are my grateful appreciation for the good surrounding me, no matter what my circumstances might be today.

There are simple pleasures to look forward to every day.

“. . . if you are living a life that is content my advice is to learn to live inside it, examine it, relish it, and most of all remember it — this extraordinary thing, a happy life — because there may come a time when something will present itself in the form of a misfortune, a transgression, an abuse, a failure, a humiliation, a loss, or, indeed, a global crisis where your life will turn, in an instant, from easy comfort to total chaos.” —Nick Cave, The Red Hand Files, Issue #121

 

Sent from a friend, weekend reading that made my day.

The eight secrets to a (fairly) fulfilled life. A beautiful column in The Guardian by Oliver Burkeman.

I read Oliver’s words and find we have a shared truth . . .

“Obviously, I never expected to find the secret, but on some level I must have known there were questions I needed to confront – about anxiety, commitment-phobia in relationships, control-freakery and building a meaningful life. Writing a column provided the perfect cover for such otherwise embarrassing fare.”

Writing - a blog, a journal, a sketchbook - about photography - provides the perfect cover for self-discovery. I see it in my work and in the creative work of each and every life. Art moves us forward. In one way or the other.