Tag Archives: Encouragement

A Man and His Sons

Mar
01
2013
by IBK | 0 Comments

©IBKimage1989

 

February is a frequent  birthday month in our small family, including my own, so I gave myself a two week sabbatical from blogging.

I pinpoint the time that I became a photographer  to the  Spring of 2008, when I took my year old digital point and shoot camera to Seattle with me on a return visit to the neighborhood where I had lived for 2 plus years while attending graduate school as an  “over 50”, and more importantly  to reunite with friends from my time there.  My friend B. took my husband and I to a small Japanese garden  and it was really through her encouragement that I started to “see in new ways”.  She had such a wonderful sense of composition with her own photography, that I was inspired to keep going.

Several years ago I scanned all of our old film photos into the computer and today as I was reviewing some, I came across today’s image which I took on an old film camera , so a seed was perhaps planted then that finally sprouted in another season.  It was especially poignant since the guy in the red shorts turned 28 today.

I’m reminded of the beautiful lyrics of a song from the old musical, “Fiddler on the Roof; sunrise, sunset,swiftly flow the years, one season following another, laden with happiness and tears; …”    No matter how young or old we are, it matters that we are present in other peoples’ lives and that we engage with others in relationship.  My friend’s love and encouragement started a whole new way of seeing for me, and allowed me to share my words and images with you 5 years later.

Think of someone that had that effect on you and how it’s changed your life.

IBK

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Posted in Inspiration, Seasons, Seeing In New Ways, Uncategorized Also tagged , , , |

Calm

Dec
13
2012
by IBK | 2 Comments

IBKimage2012

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I have often driven myself into a frenzy because I have a “big” something to do.  A big project, a big presentation, a big deadline … and so on.  I remember the day that I took out the word “big” and  substituted a declarative sentence without the adjective.  It didn’t negate the scope of the project, but somehow it made it more manageable and gave me a calmer entree point into planning the execution of the task.

 

Perhaps we magnify our words to match the emotion we might have  about the thing that needs doing.  If we tend toward perfectionism, we know how “big” this might be;  if we’re in a  situation where we’re already doing some major projects, another assignment might “do us in”.  A phrase I often hear today is:  “I’m slammed”.  A translation from one who fits into the :  “back in the day” generation, I think that means, I’m backed against the wall and can’t do another thing or honor my or any other commitments

 

The geese in our image have flown in for the night for water, rest and renewal on a partially frozen lake.  Earlier in the week I had been frustrated about how poorly my pictures had turned out at the “big” night shoot downtown with a photography group.  I tripped over my tripod, couldn’t shoot the angle I wanted; forgot how to change settings  … but I learned a lot from others who generously shared solutions.  So after an hour of practice the next day in how to assemble my equipment, shoot a few practice shots, I made a quick trip to my neighborhood lake for a few pictures at sunset.

Wishing you some small moments of calm during a “big” time of year.

IBK

Posted in Seeing In New Ways Also tagged , , , , |

Just Function

Feb
23
2012
by IBK | 5 Comments

©IBKimage 2010

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

There are people that bring a smile to your face every time you think of them.  The moments in time that you are privileged to spend with them in the various seasons of your life, leave an indelible imprint on your life and heart.  One such person is someone whom I’ve rarely spent time with in person because of geographic distances over the years, but every now and then we schedule a “visit” and spend about an hour  on the phone, entering each other’s lives and “catching up” about where we left off the time before.  Almost 40 years later I’m still aware of a time when she gave me the gift of a wonderful collection of words that came from such a conversation.  I’m always challenged by them.

 

“The challenge is to not ‘over-function’ or ‘under-function’ but just function.”  What a wonderful antidote to the ubiquitous “perfect” that we are bombarded with every day , from the mouths of many in numerous contexts and our own “perfecto meters”.  The outcropping in today’s image has been functioning for  thousands of years, shaped by the elements, marked with upheaval,and gracing us with its particular shape and texture of rich and royal hues.

Could we just function today and celebrate the moment … or alternatively, just muddle through?

IBK

 

 

 

 

 

Posted in Insight, Letting Go Also tagged , , |

Thanksgiving at the Farm

Nov
24
2011
by IBK | 3 Comments
11242011Thanksgiving

©IBKimage2011

Today was the warmest ever Thanksgiving Day on record in the Omaha Nebraska area.  Our  city folk from D.C.,Denver and Lincoln, plus the Kansas relatives gathered at “The Farm” – a place we love to come home to especially during a holiday time when most of our small family can gather.  Before my husband and I moved away 3 years ago, coming home meant coming to our house in Lincoln.  We were the gathering place.  I loved bringing my special dressing/stuffing that everyone loves to this gathering, but I also loved that a new generation did things their way and that we as a family have always been able to be flexible while still keeping a few favorite traditions.

Last year my mom was at home in Hospice care and we recalled today that by entering into her “dying process”, we all learned much about how to live .  My husband upon hearing my mother’s diagnosis that would be the cause of her death said:  “We will all grieve your mother’s dying but without regret for words unspoken and actions not taken”.  On this Thanksgiving day without her,we celebrated with no regrets.

IBK

Posted in New Beginning Also tagged , , , |