Cawfee Tawk Tuesday: Contemplating Why

Happy Tuesday. This week I've decided to take Cawfee Tawk in yet another direction. Over the past few weeks and months I have heard way too many stories of lives being altered over illnesses, particularly cancer. This week alone I heard about another friend of mine who seems too young to be facing the difficult road before her due to her cancer diagnosis, as well as a precious little boy named Trey Love who is fighting for his life against neuroblastoma. And then there's my own father who faces the possibility (and probability) that his own cancer has returned.

But it's not just cancer, and it's not just tragedy. It's the whole idea of life. Life is a vapor. It goes so fast. We wait for what seems like forever for our special day, our graduation, our wedding day, our little one's due date, and then we blink and those days are behind us, our kids are growing up, and we are wondering where it all went. One minute we are looking ahead to a road of endless possibilities, the next we are looking back at the precious moments that are now just memories. One minute we're taking our first step down the aisle towards our soulmate, the next we're celebrating decades of marriage and a house full of rambunctious children.

I know there are a few of you out there who read this blog and enjoy seeing these images, but rarely, if ever, pick up a camera yourself. This blog post is for you. Don't wait until you feel comfortable with your camera. Don't wait until you have a good reason to shoot, or a special event. Today is that special event, that special reason. Today is another day with those amazing friends, those precious babies (even if their 16 or 46!), and today is another day with him, with her. What could be more precious than that?

So this post is simply a celebration of all the reasons to get out and shoot. Some moments are huge. Some are wonderfully mundane. But all are precious.

So shoot because they're in love and you're so happy for them.

Shoot because you've never seen anything more precious than the way he cherishes his little girl.

Shoot because they're two of the loves of your life- your father and your son- and they love being together.

Shoot because true love always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. (1 Corinthians 13:7)

Shoot because no matter how old he is and how old you are, he's always daddy, and you're always his little girl.

Shoot because it's today and they're here and they're happy, and so you are too.

Shoot because for this fleeting moment, they're not bickering, not crying, just being big bro and little sis.

Shoot because they love their momma and she's all they need, and nothing makes her happier than caring for them.

Shoot because today they walk, arm in arm, into their promising futures, even if just yesterday...

... they were your little boys, just learning to walk together.

This week's homework is simply twofold:

1. Get your camera and shoot. Who cares if you don't get all the settings on your camera, or the lighting isn't perfect. If the moment is, that's all that matters right now.

2. Cherish each other. I'm sure ALL of you can relate to the fact that life is just a vapor and a gift, and we need to savor every second of if.

I'm off to go hug my kids. Sending you hugs as well.

Thanks for reading, and happy shooting

Jen

(Spring is here which means sessions are budding along with the flowers. Since my days are now filling up with sessions and editing, I'm probably going to need to scale back on the Cawfee Tawk. Look for Cawfee Tawk Tuesdays every other Tuesday or every third Tuesday. I'll do my best!)