28th of August, 2009

 

Cookies & Strawberries

So we're about two weeks into this challenge and I'm starting to realise that the parameters of the challenge may need adjusting. The aim of the challenge is to take the time to notice the beauty all around us everyday, to see "the light that dances through our lives". The natural beauty that nature provides and the beauty that we create ourselves. To notice the simple pleasures, the little gifts and joy. In essence to stop and smell the roses in images. What I have discovered is that stopping to smell the flowers is not something that can be scheduled, rostered in, rushed, grabbed or snatched. To do that in order to merely meet the daily image quota is somehow contradictory of the whole point of doing it in the first place.
Fridays seem to be my main downfall. The day I work right through. Friday, the day where breathing seems like rather a luxury. The day begins, as usual, early and my partner wakes me, coffee, and then I curl up in my special corner with pen and paper for an hour of where I work on my writing. So far so good. Then a shower, wake the children and the day begins. L claims to be sick and I'm thinking she just doesn't want to go to fitness so a mad hunt for a school uniform begins and I swear she's hidden it out of desperation. A compromise with other clothes is made and she's dressed just in time to throw up. O.K. she's sick and she's staying home, guilty hugs and kisses on the couch (never a mothering day goes by without some form of guilt- this one would be good). Still got to get A to school. Still got to prepare studio for clients, still got to check out bootcamp for 6 year olds at the school (don't ask).
Watch bootcamp, talk to Vice Principle, talk to head of infants, ok task done. Bailed up by Principle over son's failure to conform to uniform requirements. Explain how I pick my battles with son and that ain't one of them, blah blah blah. Head home two minutes before clients arrive. L throws up again, door bell rings (are you getting the idea). Open door to next clients while seeing first out. It's twins. All clients today are second timers, thank god, and a relationship is already there and the pretense of professionalism is allowed to slip somewhat. Abandon clients briefly to check messages and make some quick calls (which of course are not quick). Standing in the street with a baby in each arm (helping twins mother) when next client arrives. See last clients out, make some more calls, tidy studio for the forth time today and finally head upstairs around 5.30 for a rather belated breakfast and a glass of wine (just to clarify, I normally don't have wine with my breakfast, but today was an exception). Then I watch Nanny McPhee with my daughter feeling guilty for not being there for her today when she was sick.
So what was I grateful for today, because I did have time for that, even if not to shoot. I was grateful - that my partner was here to look after my daughter, that the VP knows I'm not a neurotic mother and listens to my concerns, that my clients were all lovely families, that my partner cooked a delicious meal, bought wine, that my son had been a delight and helped all day, that someone had loaded the dishwasher. But the treasure of the day was when I escaped late in my last session to make a few calls to find my son (& partner) had left a cup of coffee (the one I should have had in the morning) and a plate of cookies and strawberries on my desk. I didn't get to eat them until later but it was bliss to see.
So the point is that some days are to hectic, to full of life, to busy and a rushed image is a compromise. I shot the plate after the event but the sentiment is there and the challenge itself has helped me to really notice the plate on a deeper level in the first place and I'm happy with that. I kissed my son extra. It was an exhusting, busy day but a good one.