smile report

/

I pitched an idea to my friend

Paul

about doing some kind of photography project together.  He was willing to play along even though I was very vague about what it would be.  I had some ideas rolling around in my head but nothing I was able to articulate.  All I knew is it would involve both of us taking photographs.

The first assignment was simple.  Photograph something that makes you smile. So we both went out and did just that.  His first email contained his photo and a description of why he took it and what it was that made him smile.  Throughout the week more smile reports arrived in my email box.  Each time I received a smile report from Paul, I smiled myself.

The wheels inside my head began to turn with each "smile report" I received.  What if instead of changing the topic weekly we kept it the same ~ photographing something that made us smile.  Showing how two people, with two totally differently lives, living in different areas are stopping to appreciate that unexpected moment that made us smile.

I shared the idea with Paul and he was up for it, which made me smile.  So this little idea of mine seemed to find its form and has shaped up to be the "smile report" ~ a random dose of moments caught on film that made each of us smile.

Here is the first installment of the smile report in our own words:

                             what made me smile                                                                         what made Paul smile

Jennifer:  "Painting is fun for me.  A way to just let get and allow the brush to do the talking.  On Saturday I pulled out my paints, covered my table in newspaper, and began. This moment brought a smile to my face."

Paul:  "It's discovering a photo I didn't know existed until I came upon it.  The goose at the frozen pond at JFK airport.  I'd just gotten off the subway A train and I wondered if anything was happening on the pond and lo and behold there was the lone bird seeking a small opening in the surface.  It made me happy."

** What has made you smile today? **

upside down

/

You look at the world and only see what is in front of you

Keeping your eyes glued to what can fit into the box you hold

You do not think that anything is possible

You limit your dreams

You only believe in what you see

You stick with what you know

You stay where it is safe

You say that I am living dangerously

Jumping off a cliff blindfolded

You say that I not only look outside the box

But I see a box that is not even there

And when you spoke those word it was not a compliment

But that is not how my ears heard it

You think it is silly for me to dream up wild ideas

To believe that I can achieve anything

You do not understand why I can look at life so positively

You are waiting for me to make the leap

Before you even begin to dream

You think I am crazy for risking my heart

Putting myself out there

Walking the fine line between devastation and elation

You do not understand why I do it

You stand before this world and only receive what you are given

You do not go out and seek what can be found

You keep puttering along

Content, but not happy

You sit on the sidelines watching me dream big

And even though you think me a fool

I will continue to walk down this dangerous path

To feel life with my whole heart

And open up my soul to the world

I will continue to  submerge myself in what moves me

Laugh out loud

And dream what you consider to be the impossible dream

** this moment in time brought my life theme song

(Upside Down ~ Jack Johnson)

back to the front of my mind. Do you have a theme song for your life?

taken back

/

She had not looked at in so long

Forgotten it was even there

It kept it's place in the drawer

Until the moment she needed it

She had forgotten how many memories it held

She never realized how quickly it would take her back

She did not understand it's power

But it held so much for her

Even just the site of it made her remember

It fit so perfectly in her hand as it had before

It was a passage way through time now

When before it connected her to the world

She sat with it for awhile

Reliving some of the moments

Smiling at the good ones

She was grateful for being linked back

To another time

Another place

To a part of her

That will always live within her

arriving

/

I spread my wings and fly

Seeking the adventure

Listening to the sounds of nature

Traveling the long way home

I take six trains instead of three

And giggle while it happens

I jump in the puddles

And climb up mountains covered in snow

I listen to people stories

Soaking in where they have been

And what they have done

I observe the world

Taking the time to simply sit, watch, and listen

I seek out moments to learn something new

Trying something I have never done

And discover how it moves me

I try hard

Play as often as I can

Laugh, mostly at myself

And embrace the beautiful world around me

At least once a day I thank the world for how lucky I am

I was not always this way

I did not always see the light

And I am not exactly sure how I got here

But I have arrived

With my head held high and gratitude in my heart

And I will continue to push myself forward to my next destination

self love

/

My journey through life so far has taught me many different things

But one of the most important lessons I have learned

Is that above all else

I must love and cherish who I am

Tending to my heart

Speaking words of kindness to my soul

And fully believing that I am enough

This type of self care

Allows me to open myself up to the world

Smile from deep within

And step forward with confidence

Today I am sharing my words about self love

Over on

Vivienne McMasters blog

Vivienne is an incredible individual

With a radiant smile

And a powerful way of expressing herself with her camera

Her self portrait photography will blow you away

She offers

two amazing e-courses

Where you can step into the world of self portrait photography with support and love

I am keeping my fingers crossed that she will still be offering this course in the spring

When all of the snow has melted around these parts

If you have any doubts about self portraiture

this

will surely change your mind