Project #SeeTheWater: Despite the dreary weather, there is sunshine in my soul today…thinking about the many ways in which I am blessed. I treasure my collection of moments like this one, recalling each one with a smile on my face and warmth in my heart.
My recollection of the minutes preceding this image, when two little birds were fighting and the other was completely uncooperative has been almost completely washed away by this beautiful moment which followed. I now recall that in that moment, the sun was shining down on us, its radiant warmth permeating my skin and reaching deep inside my soul with its glorious presence. The gentle breeze was lightly caressing my hair and simultaneously leaving behind delicate traces of the beach’s sand. In this very instant time was frozen and my two little girls, giggled, nuzzled noses and enjoyed each others smiles as sisters sometimes do. Meanwhile my son stood behind me, refusing to join his sisters in what was supposed to be my epic holiday card idea. Needless to say, this endeavor didn’t evolve as planned…however, it resulted in THIS magnificent moment.
“You don’t always need a plan. Sometimes you just need to breathe, trust, let go and see what happens.” ~Mandy Hale
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In October 2014, my life changed in an instant when I lost my husband in a sudden, tragic accident. Mark was an amazing father, husband, friend, mentor, and a lifelong educator. There is a simple proverb that Mark often used: The fish don’t see the water. It means that we often overlook or take for granted things we experience continuously or the people and blessings that are all around us every day. When Mark died, I promised I would start each day with a grateful heart and a pledge to “see the water” like Mark did. Project #SeeTheWater is a photo project that I began as an ode to Mark. It captures my life in images, from the simplest moments, to the most spectacular and reveals the way in which I see the world differently now after loving and losing Mark. Project #SeeTheWater helps remind me to be most grateful for the simple, yet important gifts that God has given me. I cannot help but to look around me and feel profound gratitude for the many blessings that fill my life with happiness, among them: my beautiful, kind-hearted, remarkable children; our home, the place which he and I created together, filled with love and memories to last a lifetime and now a beautiful future filled with the chaos and excitement that a large family brings; our loving and supportive family and friends; our community, the people who have wrapped us up every day in their love, prayers and support throughout our darkest hours. We are so blessed. The world around us has literally injected into our water an infinite measure of love.
Read more about my journey to heal after loss at IELEV8.org
