The lone paddle-boarder floated along on the calm waters off the coast of Australia; Careless, meaning not a care in the world. At peace, meaning with her own company. Content, meaning she was exactly where she wanted to be at that moment.
We were paddling around ourselves, closer to shore, and in a similar state of being. The sun was dipping low at 8:30pm, the weather was still warm, some 35°C, and the sounds of silence were broken only by the occasional couple walking by chatting or the laughter of a child splashing in the water, the call of an ocean bird. Idyllic.
I'm sitting in my office right now just taking a break from pretending to work and flicking through some photos I've taken in the year.
Some of the best, maybe not photographically the best, but certainly the ones the appeal to me are those from our vacation in New Zealand a couple months ago.
Flicking through I see many that transport me back to the moment in which they were taken, the feeling and emotions...The enjoyment. There's others though...That burger I snapped because it looked so good, my wife beside the firepit at home, beanie on snuggled under her blanket, that one of my dad and me in the nursing home...He's declined over the year, remembers me sometimes, others not...But on this day he did - A good day.
Photos have an amazing ability to transport one back to the moment and I value them...I take them for that reason, not to create the perfect shot, but to capture the moments of life, the fragments that I weave into the tapestry of my life.
My ethos, the phrase I end my posts with should tell a person all they need to know about me and what's important to me. Life is important to me...Each moment of it, and I work hard to make them count, to make them valuable. This means taking amazing trips overseas, shooting at my range, watching Netflix with my wife...Or sitting at the beach watching the sunset.
Today, and every moment in it, is a fragment of your entire life...How's your tapestry looking?
Just tag #whereonwednesday in your post, on a Wednesday, to join in if you would like. It's not a challenge or anything dumb like that, neither do you get anything for it. It's just a chance to post your thoughts and maybe a picture or two.
Design and create your ideal life, don't live it by default
Discord: @galenkp#9209 🇦🇺
My life tapestry.... well... many splashes of bright and beautiful colors here and there, stained in a spot over on that end, a tear in that corner, perfect weaving on that side.... all in all... it is perfectly charming!!!
Have a beautiful week, my friend @galenkp, and take care 🥰🌺🤙
Posted using Partiko iOS
Downvoting a post can decrease pending rewards and make it less visible. Common reasons:
Submit
That sounds pretty legit.
Life is never exactly as we would like - It's flawed, fractured, frayed and broken, as you allude to; And yet, in counterpoint, it's vibrant, passionate and full of vigour as well...Life is never always perfect...Perfect enough is about all we can hope for. Seems you've had a good one and have the right attitude to push on in the right direction.
Downvoting a post can decrease pending rewards and make it less visible. Common reasons:
Submit
Congratulations @galenkp! You have completed the following achievement on the Steem blockchain and have been rewarded with new badge(s) :
You can view your badges on your Steem Board and compare to others on the Steem Ranking
If you no longer want to receive notifications, reply to this comment with the word
STOPVote for @Steemitboard as a witness to get one more award and increased upvotes!
Downvoting a post can decrease pending rewards and make it less visible. Common reasons:
Submit
Had to look twice as for a second I thought that was my jetty XD
This is an old photo from 2013, the jetty has since been extended and there's probably better shots of it online as it's one of the iconic shots (but not this particular angle because here I was obviously more interested in the spawnlings in the foreground XD).
I'm not a photographer either, I like taking photos of stuff happening for pretty much the same reasons you do :) I think J and I are the only ones who prefer taking candid shots (though I'll just as happily do photoshoots for the kids when they set them up), everyone else in the extended family seems to prefer the pose and smile ones XD
Downvoting a post can decrease pending rewards and make it less visible. Common reasons:
Submit
That's your local Ry? Bloody awesome! Looks like a nice little beach...Shells and sand or are those little pebbles?
Downvoting a post can decrease pending rewards and make it less visible. Common reasons:
Submit
Not anymore, that’s back home on Christmas Island. We go back every couple of years and it’s the local then 😆
All the beaches except for two and a bit are single beaches (the bit either has sand or dissent depending on the tide, I haven’t been to that one in recent history).
Downvoting a post can decrease pending rewards and make it less visible. Common reasons:
Submit
Didn't know you were from Christmas Island...The only place where it's Christmas all year round! (Dumb dad joke there.) 😝
Downvoting a post can decrease pending rewards and make it less visible. Common reasons:
Submit
Pictures sure do retell stories that may have been otherwise forgotten. Pictures also remind me of just how fast life passes..JPG)
My son and his wife are expecting the arrival of their second child, our 7th grandchild, at the end of December. Their 1st child, Payton,
is 1.5 years old, and it seems like this little angel was just born yesterday.
Changes occur ever so slightly when you get older, but with children they almost change from day to day.
Boy does their development really put time into perspective as they grow up.
Time has become our most cherished asset and the pictures we snap of all of our grandchildren constantly remind us of the value of time well spent.
Downvoting a post can decrease pending rewards and make it less visible. Common reasons:
Submit
That's a cute little bub you go there - Proud grand parents I'm sure. My niece is @smallsteps, in Finland. She has me wrapped around her little finger and I miss her every day. I'm looking forward to seeing her again in July next year. I'm meeting my nephew for the first time this weekend too...He is 16 months. Lives far from here. Thank goodness for photos and video chats huh?
Downvoting a post can decrease pending rewards and make it less visible. Common reasons:
Submit
Thank God for photos and video chats for sure. If it weren't for video chats, @farm-mom would wear out a car on a yearly basis, visiting our grandkids back in New Jersey.
Should be an exciting time when you get to visit with your nephew this weekend. Boy do little kids light up the day. Their mere presence puts a smile on your face.
Downvoting a post can decrease pending rewards and make it less visible. Common reasons:
Submit
Yes, should be good. It's a rushed trip for the graduation but good nonetheless. Yes, video chats make things a but easier than wearing out a car! 😊
Downvoting a post can decrease pending rewards and make it less visible. Common reasons:
Submit
A little scooter ride 2 meet @pooky-jax for a late lunch is where my Wed is.
Brrrr....
Downvoting a post can decrease pending rewards and make it less visible. Common reasons:
Submit
A bit chilly on the old ghoolies isn't it?
Downvoting a post can decrease pending rewards and make it less visible. Common reasons:
Submit
What a nice post @galenkp, I felt peaceful just reading it. I take so many pictures, that my kids refer to me as "The Paparazzi" 🤩
And I laughed when you said 'just taking a break from pretending to work" that's funny.
Sounds like you had a wonderful vacation in New Zealand, very cool!
Downvoting a post can decrease pending rewards and make it less visible. Common reasons:
Submit
I pretend to work a lot! Nah, not really. I'm in a pretty good position at work and have a lot of autonomy fortunately...But when I work, I work.
Thanks for your comments...I'm a big fan of being present in each moment, work, vacation, sleep, TV etc. Whatever I do I engage with it fully. Life is too short not to. I'm gad that came through in my posts because I was engaging with relaxation.
Oh yes, NZ is amazing and we had a great trip. We'll go back for sure. Too bad for all those Aussies who lost their lives or got horribly burned in the volcano eruption earlier in the week huh? Poor buggers.
Have a great day/night (not sure which) Mrs. Paparazzi! 😜
Downvoting a post can decrease pending rewards and make it less visible. Common reasons:
Submit
Hi @galenkp. Great post. I just posted about being soft and present as I have thought about it a lot this year. I enjoyed reading your view of being present and looking through pictures to remember those times. Also, knowing what is important to us and making sure it is in our life!
Downvoting a post can decrease pending rewards and make it less visible. Common reasons:
Submit
Hey there...Great to hear you're into being present . So many just float through life without living it. Thanks for stopping by and also leaving a comment.
Downvoting a post can decrease pending rewards and make it less visible. Common reasons:
Submit
What a gorgeous shot, something so calming and relaxing about viewing this
Downvoting a post can decrease pending rewards and make it less visible. Common reasons:
Submit
Oh thanks a lot! As a non-photographer (no skills photographer) I have no idea on composition or settings. I kind of just look at it, point the camera and click (normally on the AUTO setting. :) Sometimes I click the little wand button on my Mac and then just post whatever comes out.
I really appreciate your comment here. I agree, it feels relaxing...As I did when I was there that night with my wife.
Thanks for stopping by.
Downvoting a post can decrease pending rewards and make it less visible. Common reasons:
Submit
I think the most important thing about photography at any skill level is to have fun and do what works for you :)
Always a pleasure to visit your posts :)
Downvoting a post can decrease pending rewards and make it less visible. Common reasons:
Submit
I agree completely...I mean we can't all be good at everything but as long as one enjoys it, is engaged and has fun? Then that's all that matters. It's like here on steem also I guess.
Thanks for your comment and for stopping by, I thrive on the engagement.
Downvoting a post can decrease pending rewards and make it less visible. Common reasons:
Submit
I have been playing around with photography again for a few years now and always striving to learn and improve, but if it ever stops being fun for me I would give it up, thats why I keep it as a hobby and its a good way for me to get out and get some exercise as well ;)
My pleasure to visit your posts ;)
Downvoting a post can decrease pending rewards and make it less visible. Common reasons:
Submit
Well, you take great shots so must be doing something right. Thanks for sharing, and for responding. Have a good weekend.
Downvoting a post can decrease pending rewards and make it less visible. Common reasons:
Submit
👍🙂👍
Downvoting a post can decrease pending rewards and make it less visible. Common reasons:
Submit
Howdy sir galenkp! Yes, taking time to reflect on what is important is so meaningful and photos bring back the memories like nothing else! Sorry to hear about your dad, was that a slowly encroaching condition?
Both of Mrs. J's parent both were hit with dementia at the same time and within just a few months they had to be put in a special care home.
Downvoting a post can decrease pending rewards and make it less visible. Common reasons:
Submit
It's been creeping up over time but he declines fast each week. Has good days and bad. It's a bit sad but it's part of life I suppose.
Downvoting a post can decrease pending rewards and make it less visible. Common reasons:
Submit
It used to be rare but these days forms of dementia are common in the U.S.
Downvoting a post can decrease pending rewards and make it less visible. Common reasons:
Submit
Yes, I was only saying the other day how it seems like there's more cancer, dementia and mental illness than ever before. Maybe we just hear about it more though? I know not.
Downvoting a post can decrease pending rewards and make it less visible. Common reasons:
Submit
Over here it is an epidemic, most doctors says it's from all the toxic chemicals in the food and drinks.
Downvoting a post can decrease pending rewards and make it less visible. Common reasons:
Submit
Yes, I think that's probably got something to do with it. Preservatives, food colouring, taste-enhancers.
Downvoting a post can decrease pending rewards and make it less visible. Common reasons:
Submit
Plus people just choose to eat a terribly unhealthy diet, at least most of them around here do, we're constantly astounded at how people are poisoning themselves!
Downvoting a post can decrease pending rewards and make it less visible. Common reasons:
Submit
It's the same here too. Everyone looking for the easy option no matter what it happens to be, or how bad.
Downvoting a post can decrease pending rewards and make it less visible. Common reasons:
Submit