Today I went on a walkabout, looking for inspiration downtown. I think I told you about my e-photo class. Well, today's assignment was to look for shapes that look like something else. Because it's a holiday-themed class, I wanted to get out and explore some different Christmas decorations. My downtown district did not disappoint. I found a perfect ornament on our town tree that's wrapped in a metallic netting. When I photographed myself in its reflection, it looked kind of like I was standing behind chain-link fencing.
But that's really not the point of this post. Today's point is inspired by the above image. I stumbled across a nice diagram of all the train tracks feeding into our town, and because I am slightly obsessed with photographing my beloved winter boots (I have two pairs in different colors), I decided to snap this shot just for fun.
Editing this photograph, however, got me to thinking about it's greater implication. I now find myself approaching a junction in life....a transition from primary caregiver to one who governs from the sidelines...which allows me more time to pursue my own hobbies and passions, especially those beyond my own four walls. This morning is a perfect example.
My walkabout was a spontaneous act. I simply caught the inspiration, jumped in the shower, charged my son with watching Simon (I also needed to get groceries), and off I went. I spent four whole hours by myself this morning. Two of these hours were spent tramping around with my camera in hand, making like a tourist in my own hometown. Then I ran my errands and got home in plenty of time to put away groceries and get my son to his basketball game.
I used to fear this time of my life, hovering frantically over my nest. This really isn't hyperbolic. Just ask my now-grown daughter. Ask my husband. Ask my preteen son who r-e-a-l-l-y doesn't need a helicopter mom (boys, more so than girls). Now that I'm here, it's not that bad. It was traumatic at first. Dreadful. But I have Simon and my kitties and my poetry and my camera and my cooking and this blog. I seem to be keeping myself pretty busy.
There are so many possibilities before me.
So many passions to pursue.
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