The Key to Happiness

It has been over a year since the acquisition of my camera. I was contemplating this today, and thought, what a better tribute for Zeus and I’s first anniversary together than to showcase our year’s work? I’ve included a small amount of pictures (hey 50-some is small in terms of 365 days), some of which you may have already seen, some you perhaps haven’t.

I’m going to share a tidbit of information with you.

I know nothing about photography.

Not joking. I’ve barely even read the owner’s manual for my Olympus E-volt, never mind taken a photography class.

I don’t know a thing about how to take a half-decent picture.

But here’s my secret.

You don’t need to capture a beautiful photo as much as a beautiful moment.

For me, photography isn’t about getting the shot right; it’s about preserving a memory.

I think, through my photographic experiences, I’ve learned a little life lesson, which I’m going to share with you.

The key to happiness is seeing the beauty in small moments.

It’s taking the time to notice how amazing that millisecond is in its entirety. It’s taking a step back (or a step closer, in some cases) to look at the world around you, the land, the people, the animals, the sky, and seeing something special.

My approach to photography is fairly haphazard, but it works. I just do what I do on a day-to-day basis, except I have a shutter button to capture what I see for later.

I tend to forget how full our lives are with beautiful moments.

Children laughing, trees turning, water splashing, people smiling, even ducks with itchy butts.

Photography brings me back to appreciating the beauty of my life.

Colour, space, movement, light, dark, big, small.

It’s all there.

...if you can see it.

So, in no particular order, here are my beautiful moments, or some of them.

 Purple Aster in the Trent Nature Areas

 My sister, Ali, at the Peterborough Zoo

 Fall in Millenium Park

 Paddling at Charleston Lake, Ontario

 Cass, the stud

 One of my favourites -- Muskoka chairs at the Noonan's Nest on Salmon Trout Lake

 Clouds by the Oshawa Airport/field behind my house

 My Goddaughter, Kate, and friends colouring at my cousin's wedding

 Kate playing with my necklace at Dance for Life

 Dad, being a goof

 Danny wakeboarding on Salmon Trout

 Some barnyard daisies in Kingston, Ontario

 An interesting dragonfly on the Rotary Trail in Peterborough, Ontario

 Waterdroplets on a leaf near Big Clear Lake outside of Apsley

 A cautious duckling

 An itchy duckling

 A waterfall by Millenium Park

 Fall in Nichols Oval, Peterborough

 A yellow flower in Millennium Park, Peterborough

 A particularly grumpy goat

 Gold taking a snooze in Kingston

 Spring grass somewhere unknown in Peterborough

 Hermann the Heron, landing at Charleston Lake

 A sunset house on the Otonabee River

 James.

 My little cousin (read, pretend niece) Jane Claire colouring thoughtfully

 Jane Claire, looking much more ferocious than above

 Some random person on a rock

 Why is said random person holding my Goddaughter? And wearing my scarf?

 Ohhhh, it's Jenny, looking happy at Charleston Lake

 Godfather Joey with little bro, Gerry (also known as Dad)

 Kate, being adorable with bubbles at my parents' house in Oshawa

 Kate, complete with ever-persent drool, holding her Mom's hand

 Mum, and long-time neighbour Karen sharing a laugh on Canada Day

 Fall in Nichols Oval, Peterborough

 Ground control to Major Tom, Gerry is about to flatten you.

 My personal favourite, loon with chicks on Big Clear Lake

 Middle Earth. Ok, no, it's the Lady Eaton Drumlin in fall colour

 My parents out back in Oshawa, Ontario

 Mushrooms on a log bench in Temagami, Ontario

 My very handsome father

 Sunset at the Silver Bean Cafe, Peterborough

 Those lovely chairs again

 My house in Peterborough, complete with storm, rainbow, and blooming cherry tree

 Relaxing at Bob's Cove on Charleston Lake

 Calm morning water at Charleston Lake

 Rain droplets on a white rose

 Hanging out at the cottage (only took one shot...photograph, I mean)

 My childhood best friend, Vickie, with some pretty cool Raybans

 A beautiful sunset on Charleston Lake

 Not from Zeus, but my boots overlooking Rat Lake near Gravenhurst, Ontario

 A plant and two friends near the Trent campus in Peterborough

 The Trent University John DePencier Trail

 Sunset on Sandy Inlet at Camp Wanapitei

Waterfall downtown Peterborough

Willy, one of my favourite and most inspiring teachers I've ever had the fortune to have; he taught me how to effectively deal with 'hiker's foot' :)

If you were patient and interested enough to make it to the end of the post, I thank you :) I'm also wondering if you'd like to leave a comment and tell me how you feel about the blog so far and the photos. Zeus and I have certainly been busy!

Also, I've been looking for more opportunities to shoot on a regular basis, so if you have people, pets, properties, plants, or even pork pies you want picturequely preserved, please give me a shout! I'd especially love to try my hand at portraits (not joking, despite the preposterous alliteration), so if you'd like some family photos free of charge give me a shout!

-- C

Sometimes

I wouldn't say that I'm overly opinionated. I might come across that way at times, but there are certain things that I believe to be true.And if others don't share the same view, that is totally fine with me. I'm open to new ideas and someone changing my mind.
But I believe there are some fundamental, basic truths to life.
Some things that every kid should be raised knowing. Some things that as adults we forget far too often.
And I'm going to let you know what those things are.

Everything is about perspective.

It's about what's in focus in that moment in time. 

It's always hard to see the big picture. 

You have to be able to shift back and forth between things, like the lens of a camera.
The hardest part is piecing it all together in your mind.

The most successful people I know are experts at this. 

There's the past, the present, the future.

There's then, there's now, there's later. 

But they're not mutually exclusive. 

They all blend seamlessly together into one.

It's up to us to look carefully at each part and see how they fit.

You have to embrace that sometimes things are bigger than this very moment. 

And even if things seem out of focus, they'll clear up eventually. 

Life is an adventure.

It should be treated as one.
Sometimes we need to navigate uncharted waters. Sometimes they're calm, sometimes they're not.
And often, we're treated to an entirely new perspective. 

 

Sometimes, the world gets turned upside down. 

We need to accept change, embrace it. 

Because if you don't, you're going to end up up the creek without a paddle. 

 

And then there are these people.
The ones that make life enjoyable at all. Other people are the reason we can go on, most days.
Despite how hermetic and solitary you think you are, you depend on someone or something else in some way, every day of your life.
 

There are a few amazing people in the world.
And we are so fantastically lucky to have them.
Often, in fact, they are so amazing that we don't even realize it.
They are the ones that you look at, smile, and leap into the abyss together.

And why would you do that? 

Why would you not only risk your own well-being, but not even spend a moment thinking about it?
Because there are some people that we are blessed to know.

They are the people that just get you on a level you can't even comprehend.

They share your values, your beliefs, your passions, and even your hot dogs, on occasion.
They are friends, spouses, family.
They are the ones that matter.
And if you love them, you should let them know.
It's only too easy to take them for granted. 

 

Sometimes a truly great person is hidden. 

Sometimes, we don't appreciate them for what they are, or what they really mean to us.

Don't worry, it's normal. 

Great people are like endangered species.

Combined, there are lots of them, all over the world.

But usually, it's hard to find just one.

We need to constantly remind ourselves that these people are really one of a kind.
Having someone as inspiring and caring and helpful is not something to be taken for granted.
They are the people we want to be, the people we want to be around, the people we want to have for as long as we possibly can.

There are people that make us want to spread out our winds and soar.

You want to shout out to the world,

"Hey, I'm awesome! Check me out!"
Despite the fact that you may look like a total loony.

But one day, you realize, you never really wanted the whole world to know.
There was just that one person.
Those few people.
They were all that really mattered.
And they totally didn't mind that you acted like a loony, as long as it made you happy.

 

 

 

And as much as it  hurts, sometimes those people have to leave.

 Sometimes they pass away, or move to Madagascar. 

They slide out of our lives, and we don't realize how beautiful they are until they're gone.
Sometimes, we didn't even realize they were there in the first place. 

And that hurts.
So realize what you have while it's there!

Do your best to keep an eye out for a good person.

Love them as much as they love you.

Love them more!

If you're reading this, there is undoubtedly someone going through your mind as you read this.

Do yourself a favour.
Don't let them fly away before you realize what they are to you.
Send them an email, give them a call, buy them a pint.
You don't even have to be outright and tell them.
Just be aware of what they mean to you and why.

I can guarantee that your life will be better for it.

 

I can also do you one better.
Take chances.
Sometimes it's hard.

Risk is a tough think to deal with.
But you know what, a lot of the time it's worth it.

Sometimes it's worth throwing caution to the wind, reaching out our arms wide, and taking on the world.

Take love for example.
If you were reading that part about great people, people who understand you inexplicably, and you were thinking of someone, chances are, there's a reason.

No one ever fell in love without taking a risk.

There is someone who gets you down to your core. 

There's someone who will do anything to make you happy.

There is someone who will make you tea when you're sick, fold your laundry, take your kids to daycare, make you smile when you don't want to.

 

There is someone that you will do anything for.
There is someone you will go to the ends of the earth to make happy.

There is some you will willingly sit through Alice in Wonderland synched to Pink Floyd's Dark Side of the Moon with (even if it's horrid!) just because you know they love it.

There is someone.
You might already have that person.
Make sure you kiss them when you see them next, and tell them that you love them.

You might have lost that person.
Never forget how they made you feel. It's invaluable.

You might have someone in mind.
And if you have the slightest inkling that it could work, take that chance.

Remember: great people are like endangered species.
But people you truly live are much, much harder to find.
It's not worth it to let them go before you realize what could have been.
 

If you're thinking of someone.

Take that chance.

But you do need to be careful.
There are people out there who will take advantage of you.

And it's all to easy to forget.
It could be a wolf in sheep's clothing, someone you thought was a good person.

Or it could be unexpected.

You could be swimming around happily one day and the big bad hawk would unfortunately choose you.

Sometimes, when you've been raised in good company, you give too many people the benefit of the doubt.

Which is a good thing, and a bad thing in itself.
If you're like me, you see the good in everyone. You see potential, not failure.

You believe everyone is a heron inside, ready to bust open their wings and soar!

It's all too easy to forget.
Sometimes, we even try to fix a bad egg, hoping that one day, something truly beautiful will unfurl.

But we do get burned.
It happens.
Sometimes life gets the better of us.

We lose a friend.
We lose a significant other.
We lost a job.
We lose our car keys.

But we can go on. We have thick skin for a reason.
There are four layers, and together they are amazingly resilient.
We still have our friends, however. 

And we know that they'll help us through it, no mater how hard it seems. 

They'll hold you when you cry. 

They'll listen to you talk for endless hours.

They'll go to Home Hardware at 2 a.m. to get the plunger you're too embarrassed to buy.

  Or they'll simply buy you a pint and tell you to suck it up because you're better than that.

And you should never, ever be too proud to hang out with your family.
You'll realize, one day, just how much effort they put into making you who you are.
It goes beyond changing smelly diapers, you know.
Although that can get pretty gross.

Your family, even if you aren't technically related, are the people that are closest to you.
You decide who your family is. You can have lots of different families.
You can make your own.
But in order for them to be healthy, you need to have a whole lot of patience, a ton of honesty, and, most of all, more love than seems humanly possible.

Also, don't be afraid to spend some time alone.
You have to make yourself happy before you can make anyone else happy.
So love yourself, then you can love your friends.
Take a minute.
Sit back, look around you, and realize whatcha got.
Take time to recognize what's good in your life, and what isn't so much.

 

Just remember:

There are many beautiful things in life.

The truly spectacular isn't always unexpected.
Sometimes it's as ordinary as the Earth turning

.
But when everything falls into place at one time;
When we recognize all of the conditions that have culminated into one amazing moment;
When we open our eyes and appreciate everything for what it is;

Then, we can say we were truly living.

Random Thoughts

Ever have one of those days where you are incredulously self-aware?

Today was one of those days.

I don't know what brings them on. Perhaps today was due to a mix of reasons; Easter with my family, moving my sister into her new apartment, visiting my old elementary school, tucking another decade milestone into my pocket...who knows.

Today was one of those days. When you're finally able to step back and look at everything around you; to take a minute out to survey your life. Lessons learned from the past are spread out like a deck of cards. What seemed like a harrowing issue wasn't so important. What might case a problem in the future becomes a source of adventure.

I thought about a lot of things.

I think it'll turn out just fine.

In fact, I think I'm exactly where I'm supposed to be right now.

I think it's good when that happens; I somehow feel that the contentedness I'm experiencing is fairly rare.

I'm happy.

I'm ready for what comes next.




Bring it on.

Plans

"Now the sky could be blue, could be gray, without you I'm just miles away." --  Strawberry Swing, Coldplay

I’m a fairly metaphoric person. I’m not the hippie type to tell you that your soul is really a rabbit, nor the Dr. Seuss type to tell you that your world is really a fluff on a flower being carried by a giant elephant in the sky.

But I relate easily to my surroundings, and I find expressing my thoughts in that way helps people understand me better. 

Anyway, as of late, I’ve been thinking a lot. Slowly getting back to my more philosophical side, I suppose.

And recently, I’ve been thinking about plans. 

Having just finished an exam that went well and it being nice outside, I was sitting outside reading my book yesterday, soaking up some well-missed sun.  I like to be comfy when I read, so I was lying back on the warm concrete of the roof of 137 (thanks, Ron Thom) and seemingly became distracted by some clouds drifting by.

I was attracted by the colour of the sky, first of all, and how blue it was. Being a bit of a backcountry girl, I always forget the way the sky lightens around the horizon and gets deeper blue towards the middle. Anyway, that’s another story.

I felt like a kid again, looking for shapes in the clouds, watching them shift shapes and whisp around the sky.

And I realized that clouds are very similar to plans.

As I’ve said, I’ve been thinking about plans lately. Maybe it’s because I’ve suddenly realized I’m halfway through my life as an undergraduate. Maybe it’s figuring out living arrangements for the year and beyond. Maybe it’s looking for alternate employment for the summer. Maybe it’s realizing who’s important to me. Maybe it’s thinking about the future and what I want from it.

I have a lot of plans. 

Everyone has a lot of plans. 

They’re what keep us going, in a way. They give us something to look forward to, something to hold onto when things get rocky, something to look back on and tell ourselves we did the right thing. 

I got thinking, as I watched the clouds dance across the sky. Our plans are like clouds (fine, that’s a simile, not a metaphor, thank you English Majors).

We make plans that tend to float aimlessly around for a while. They fluctuate; bits break off when they don’t work and bits get added when things get thrown into the mix last minute. They interact with other people’s plans. Sometimes two clouds collide and make one big one. Sometimes they make amazing shapes and formations that catch the sun just right at sunset…and sometimes they create vicious storms that rage across the whole sky and never seem to end. Sometimes we get to our destination (above Maccu Picchu) and sometimes we don’t (above a chemical factory in Cleveland).

But most of the time, despite our best efforts, life is quite random. We can’t control anyone else’s plans and sometimes they take over ours, for better or for worse.

 We can’t always control where we go in life, or the means in which we get there. But we make plans, and on a whim and a prayer we head out into the world hoping that ‘things go as planned’.

Plans are good. They give us inspiration, hope, and stability. They give us the drive to do the right thing.

But knowing that they don’t always work out is just as important. Sometimes plans fall through, and sometimes the unexpected occurs. 

But you know what, life is beautiful, no matter how ugly it can seem. There is beauty in a storm, especially just after it ends. No matter what, the sun sets and rises (even if it’s hidden!), and life goes on.

As someone important to me once said,

“We fall in love, we fall out of love…but we’ll still end up worrying what to do with our Friday nights.”

Plans lead to plans that lead to plans. 

And as many of them as I have, I’m content to just sit and watch the clouds go by once in a while. To expect the unexpected. And to be ready for whatever comes next.

20 Things

Okay, so, I haven’t updated you on anything environmental lately. But here’s something else that I think will have some environmental themes and hopefully be quite interesting.

As some of you may know, my birthday is coming up. I’m about to turn 20. Five years ago that seemed so old. But now that I’m here, it seems not too bad at all. Maybe it’s the fact that most of the people I spend time around these days are older than I am, or maybe it’s the fact that I’ve always felt older than I am. In any case, age is a weird thing for me. I’ve never really acted my age, or at least felt my age. Which, interestingly enough, has given me a unique perspective on life. 

So I have chosen to enlighten you with 20 things I’ve learned in 20 years.

1)    

·         A smile can be the greatest cure.

·         Happiness isn’t something to be sacrificed.

·         Music can make even the worst day a little bit brighter.

·         Kids make the world go round.

·         It’s best not to dwell on the bad.

·         It’s ok to ask for help when you really need it.

·         If you’re in doubt about something you’ve done, you haven’t tried your best.

·         Your family is the reason you are who you are.

·         You can’t love anyone until you love yourself.

·         Nothing’s better than doing what you love to do.

·         You can never have too many Smarties. Or Cheerios.

·         Talking to strangers isn’t always a bad idea. Sometimes they’re lovely people.

·         Friends come and go, but it doesn’t make them any less valuable.

·         Love will never make you do the wrong thing.

·         The right thing is sometimes the hardest thing.

·         Never fight the feeling that you want to smile or laugh.

·         Money isn’t everything.

·         Health is the most important part of being alive. Or feeling good in general.

·         Trying new things is good for you. And keeps you on your toes.

·         If you can see something being in your future, there’s probably a reason.

E     Enjoy :) Comments welcome.