Why blog?

Truth be told I needed a place to practice writing.  Travel, writing, photography and scrapbooking have always been my passions.  These passions led me to open a scrapbook store in 2002.  My mission there was to give people their voice. Unfortunately I had to close the store shortly after the recession hit.  I had learned a great many things.   I love encouraging others to trump their own horns and to celebrate themselves and I needed a way to continue to be able to do that.  I also realized I had a great passion for story telling and adventure.

I truly believe that every day presents an opportunity to design your own life, living “on purpose” if you will.  But only you can tell your story.  Your perspective is completely unique.

We can use our creativity to take great pictures, but after years of teaching I often find that most people don’t take the time to really think about the “why”.  Why did you take this picture?  Aren’t photos a way to freeze time?

Have you ever looked at a photo and asked, “Who are these people”?  Have you questioned what they were doing or why they had gathered?  Have you seen great pictures of interesting places and wondered where the photo was taken?

Photos are a representation of the lives we have lived.  They are tiny snapshots of memories.  Each time a picture is viewed it should answer who, what, when, where and why.  It should never be left open to interpretation.

The same is somewhat true of writing.  Words on a paper will form a visual image, but it will be based on the readers experiences and interpretations, not necessarily on what actually happened.

I regularly taught my students the value of journalling.  I would begin my class by asking the students to view a photo of my sons playing in a cornfield.  I asked people to write a short note about what they thought the picture represented.  Most said kids having fun in the fall.  A few guessed a family reunion.  How far off the answer always was!  In actual fact, it was a funeral.

It was indeed one of my favorite pictures of my sons but without including this information, the photo was very difficult to connect with the event.

I began this blog as a way to push myself.  I want to lead a more purposeful life.  I am forever writing my own legacy, which means I have to constantly examine who I am, the values I am trying to teach and the ways I spend my days.

I am a perfectly imperfect human being.  I may not be a master at writing or photography but I can only improve with constant effort at learning better skills.   I love encouraging others to do the same.  So the blog has been born.

I hope you will join me on this adventure.  Life is a journey meant to be shared.

Let’s start at the beginning by getting to know each other.