We were laying in bed about to fall asleep, my alarm was set for 4AM, he set his too, just in case. We snuggled up and started listing off the things we were thankful for that happened that day. I told him I was so thankful that he supported me, that he allowed me to go on adventures in pursuit of chasing my dreams. As we laid there together, Drew stopped and looked me in the eyes, he asked me, “Do you ever just stop to soak it all in? To realize what you are doing with your life?” I nodded and swallowed the lump in my throat. Slowly we drifted off to sleep and 4AM came along too quickly.
As I drove off to the airport in the dark I really got to thinking. Do I stop and soak it in? Do I acknowledge what I have done and what I am doing with my life? It is far too easy to get caught up in goals, websites, clients, and forget about the journey. I know, I know, this sounds a bit cheesy but seriously friends, I think I got a little caught up in the destination for awhile and forgot to stop along the way to bask in the fact that this whole thing was real.
I was flying out to Seattle as a photographer to learn with some of the most talented people in the industry. I was packing a bag full of gear that just a few years ago, I didn’t know existed. I grabbed a stack of business cards, packed up my laptop, and grabbed my ipod. Is this real life? I wanted to thank Drew for reminding me to slow down, for telling me to realize what I have done, to stop and bask in the loveliness of this life. It is so easy to look at photographers who you admire and hope that they realize how awesome they are, you are certain they have it all together, that they live a glamorous life and bask in the fact that they have “made it.”
We all start somewhere, friends. Little do you realize that you have arrived as well, yes, little ol’ you. Regardless of where you are in your journey, if you are just beginning or feeling like you are at the bitter end. You, my friend, have accomplished things. You have chased dreams. You have made things happen. You are a success. You are going places.
As I sat 30,000 feet in the air typing this out, I stopped to soak in the moment and count my blessings. I made every effort to freeze time on that trip to Seattle, to acknowledge the amazing things and people around me. To bask in the fact that I was becoming someone that I had dreamed I would someday be. I talked to my friends about this revelation, about how we often wished our lives away and never realized exactly how amazing we could be. This was a lesson that resonated with my being, that forced to me to halt the hands of time for only a minute in order to give thanks and promise myself I’d always remember this time. It was then that I realized that this is my reality; that hard work has paid off, that I am doing things I never dreamed possible. I am a photographer, I am a business owner, I am going places. I hope you come along for the journey and that we remember to stop and sip a coffee along the way.
I love this…it’s true. you’re at a remarkable place in your life. Soak it all in. I want to soak it in for you too…not just me. 🙂 oh, and remind me to find a drew in my life. 🙂 should put that on my to do list. 🙂
I’m glad we stopped on the side of the street on pike place and just took a moment to soak it all in. Ill always have a vivid image in my head about that moment…drew us absolutely right. I need to do this more. You forgot to mention one thing…that you were so caught up in the moment you forgot your suitcase while driving to the airport 😉
GREAT post!