A wonderful song boasts love is how you measure the 525,600 minutes of one year. This is a sentiment that I could get on board with and were I to measure my last year in love, I would feel most rich! This has been a doozy of a year!
I started my year out with four people whom I love greatly; Jose, Katrina, Isabella and Sara Jane Bacallao. I accompanied them to the 121st Rose Bowl Parade! It was amazing to be so close to the floral creations! It brought back many happy memories of visiting the floats the day after the parade,as a young girl. The remainder of the day was spent in Hermosa beach telling stories, beading, walking stick hunting and appetizers at the beach during an unbelievable sunset. It was an auspicious start to what would prove to be a challenging year!
The ensuing months were filled with twists and turns, highs and lows and many surprises. I was gifted with countless blessings this year. I am grateful for each lesson I received and not one of them went unnoticed. I reconnected with old friends, met new friends, was able to travel, worked on some writings, painted, read numerous books, saw some brilliant films, had gorgeous tattoo work, did loads of baking, held onto my job, managed to not strangle my husband, reduced, reused and recycled, attended gatherings, had an art show, maintained my health (mental and physical), saw Mars with my naked eye, watched dolphins playing in the Pacific, went apple pickin', finally visited Graceland (breathtaking), started adult literacy tutoring, exercised my right to philanthropy and got to see friends and family throughout the year.
On the downside, this year held much heartache. I lost several people in my life including friends and family members. I tried to remember that the folks who passed had each lived their lives as they were intended. My sweet, boisterous, fiery friend Kelly left behind a precious daughter and her legacy will live on in her. My mother-in-law, Barbara is no longer in pain and her two children, my husband and his sister, found comfort in each other, after years of no communication. My friend Clark was ready to leave this physical world but that did not make it any easier to say goodbye. I do feel blessed, however, that I did have that chance. I will never forget his kind ways and will always think of his courage in my conversations about Cancer. Lucy, Hannah, Jack and Bailey were all dogs who had touched my life and will be sorely missed and fondly remembered. A few dear friends lost beloved family members this year. I was thankful to be able to be a support for them and appreciate them carrying me in my pain, as well.
The thing that all of the events that took place in my life this year, had in common, were photographs. It was what most defined my year. I photographed people, places, artwork, animals, rocks, shells, smiles, tears, bears, giraffes, children, Elvis, glass, shoes, musicians, flowers, houses, trees, clouds, sunsets, sunrises, tattoos, holidays, cars and whatever else caught my eye. I shot 8001 good photos this year!
So no matter the way you measure your year, make it count. If you measure your time gone by in a way that means something to you, then the year you are measuring will also hold great significance. By photographing my year, I am able to look back on it with pride and say that though it had its trials and tribulations, heartache and worry, I have a little piece of memory frozen in time and the pictures remind me that sometimes you see the light in the strangest of places, if you look at it right!
I plan on ending this year in the quiet solitude of my home. I will reflect upon all that 2010 has taught me and I will try not to cheer as it slips out with a fade to black!
I welcome 2011 as two thousand wonderful and greet it with open heart and arms! Bring it on!
