I have conquered my fear of heights enough to climb to the top of the rock climbing wall, take photos of children making their way up & get back down - without wasting any time or energy experiencing fear.
This feels SO good. Plus the shots of kids from the top are amazing. The light is perfect, their eyes & smiles pop - magazine cover quality photos.
Rather than drowning my brain in non-stop junk-food tunes on Pandora & updates on Facebook, I have found myself seeking out worldly knowledge both in the form of online news & NPR.
In general I feel much more self-aware, recognizing negative thoughts & anxiety, then doing my best to dismiss these from my mind.
A fun story:
The other day in Portland, Brian & I came across a small tucked-away store front featuring
wax-print fabrics & a picture of Africa. I told Brian we needed to
stop in, it would only take a minute. Walking in was like taking a step
into a past life. Seeing 3 very African men upon entering the store, I
immediately asked "Where are you guys from?" - "Rwanda" was their
response. "Oya! Nibgo?!" (No way, is it true?!) From there we had a
brilliant conversation in Kinyarwanda - full of my usual tall tales of
being 100 years old & having 10 children. We laughed, we shook
hands. This experience made my heart SING with gladness. Portland, ME -
my first Kinyarwandan exchange since returning to America. Who knew?
Also, I'm coming to terms with the fact that for every great photo I get, there are 10's of not-so-great ones. These statistics will improve with experience. It's okay. Be humble.
Spending nearly 10 hours/day this summer taking photos, I have finally come to understand the meaning/function behind ISO, White Balance, Aperture & Shutter Speed. I am also learning how to manipulate these in my favor. I've taken photography classes in the past that covered all of these topics but it isn't until now, this summer, that it's all starting to click.
I think that a lot of my inner peace comes from being at camp, in a role/position where I know exactly what my responsibilities are. I have the freedom to learn & make mistakes - my bosses aren't breathing down my neck micromanaging everything. We are given so much trust here, my opinion matters & is taken into account. I have a say in the equipment we purchase & I create my own daily schedule. I'm also improving my ability to ask for help when I need it & learning to let go of my pride. I don't need to take every photo this summer, it's for the better good. It is wonderful. I'm so thankful. I anticipate many challenges with our move to Grand Rapids for grad school this fall, but hope I will eventually find this inner peace in there in next the chapter of my life as well.
This inner peace is also the result of forgiveness. Learning to forgive others is a very powerful, difficult to achieve experience. We are all only human. Assume the best in others. Be patient & trust Karma.
Staff Photos from KP 2012 &
Camper Photos from KP 2012