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Storyteller Sundays - Mother's Day

Sorry I'm late with my weekly Storyteller Sunday submission but since yesterday was Mother's Day, I figured I'd give you a break from a long and a slightly more emotion-based read. This submission is a change of pace from what the series is usually about but since it is my blog after all, I figured I'd get a little more real and give you a glimpse into my life and the battle of keeping it all balanced.

As many of you may know, this photography thing is my life 24/7 and with that blessing comes a fairly major sacrifice, a sacrifice that many can't comprehend. Doing what you love is a lot less glamorous than it sounds. It's very much an instant gratification type lifestyle, in which what you sow is what you reap. You get back from the grind only as much as you put into it and the more time you dedicate, the greater the opportunity for reward. That being said, the more time you dedicate to one part of your life, the less you time you're able to set aside for others and those others tend to seem forgotten and under-appreciated. This year my grandmother was hospitalized indefinitely and it now seems that she will not be leaving. Since she has been in, I had only visited once prior to yesterday and the time I did go, it was a lot to take in emotionally. I went up again yesterday with the rest of my family and again, it was a heavy room.

It goes to show that age old saying that the natural clock stops for no man is as true today as it's always been, a reality that has left me battling thoughts of my own mortality. It has also set me further on my path to really enjoy and embrace every moment in my life. There's no telling how long we have to enjoy this reality but while we have the opportunity, we should take full advantage. My mentality for years has been to actually LIVE in this body, in this world as opposed to just existing in a robotic reality that I'm told I'm supposed to operate in. Life is too short to spend 2000 hours a year doing something I hate, for someone who hates me. Live to the fullest, experience everything that you are provided the opportunity. 

And to my family that I have been neglecting, I hope you can understand the difficulty in this battle. Making the decision not to let another human dictate the outcome of my life comes at a price. This is a lifestyle you can't turn off or call in sick from. I don't get leave of absence or weekends off, it's 24/7 365 work to keep that level of freedom and peace of mind. It's as scary and stressful as it is rewarding.

(And excuse the scatter-brained thoughts. This was written at 4 in the morning but it's a authentic moment that I think deserves to be published as is.... minus spelling and grammar clean-up if needed.)

Shot & Story Curated by: Yogi