A photo journal comprised of my thoughts on motherhood and other life happenings, as well as some of professional work as a photographer. Southern California is home.
Life rarely goes according to plan. It’s funny because growing up you hear all kinds of advice about making goals and putting together visions of where you find yourself in five years. I’m not opposed, per say. It’s nice to try to keep the train on the tracks and envision what moving forward looks like.
But life doesn’t always move forward, nor is the shrubbery that is the path always beat down and wilted well enough for you to even see where you’re going.
And so, I’ve come to learn that those who are the strongest are those that learn to adapt the fastest.
We all reminisce of our childhood, where presumably we were all cared for and fed and given valued guidance and love along the way. And then, when you become an adult, you celebrate the fact you can care for yourself. I’ve always valued my independence and am in no way blind to the ways my parents raised me to appreciate such.
This road to recovery has a lot of the aforementioned shrubbery. It’s hard to know if you’re even on the path, and thus, I’ve had to learn to adapt. Everyday I dig deep to hold on to a perspective that I believe in; you know, the whole glass half full perspective? And, for me, it’s a challenge.
For my children, on the other hand, adapting seems to be their second nature. No matter who walks in the door to care for them, they welcome them with open arms. I know my children are too young to know my struggles, but I’ve thanked them a million times over for their ability to adapt and adjust and allow others to do for them what I felt only I knew how to.
It’s an eye opening experience to relinquish control and allow others to do your job in the absence of any training. What I’ve learned is that it all gets done and no one dies.
There were days I was stuck in bed overhearing others trying to find Hooper’s blanket when I knew where it was. Or days I heard others trying to figure out what Van was pulling at their leg for and, without even being in the room, I knew what it was he wanted. And, you know what? It didn’t matter. They figured it out. My children are not books written in a language only a mother can read. And that truth has been very humbling.
Rolling with the punches. Adjusting. Being humbled time and time again. Hashtag: things words cannot express my gratitude for.
2 Responses
See, you are a pretty relaxed, easygoing person by nature… if I was in your situation, I’d be in a mental hospital. It’s hard for all of us to keep perspective on a daily basis, let alone when we are challenged with something like an ongoing recovery. It’s not just “one bad day,” but a series of days that force you to let go. To the outsiders, you appear to be doing it all very gracefully, even if you feel like crap. I know you told me that you don’t think this situation will make you a more patient person in the future, but I think it will. I think this has changed you in some ways. You’ll always be grateful for what your body can do, that’s for sure.
Lovely photos. It is true.. no one does die.. its not the end of the world. You know Ive realized- we can only do our best and do one thing at time. You can do it 🙂
Life rarely goes according to plan. It’s funny because growing up you hear all kinds of advice about making goals and putting together visions of where you find yourself in five years. I’m not opposed, per say. It’s nice to try to keep the train on the tracks and envision what moving forward looks like.
See, you are a pretty relaxed, easygoing person by nature… if I was in your situation, I’d be in a mental hospital. It’s hard for all of us to keep perspective on a daily basis, let alone when we are challenged with something like an ongoing recovery. It’s not just “one bad day,” but a series of days that force you to let go. To the outsiders, you appear to be doing it all very gracefully, even if you feel like crap. I know you told me that you don’t think this situation will make you a more patient person in the future, but I think it will. I think this has changed you in some ways. You’ll always be grateful for what your body can do, that’s for sure.
Lovely photos. It is true.. no one does die.. its not the end of the world. You know Ive realized- we can only do our best and do one thing at time. You can do it 🙂