Photography and Dreams of Love, Life and Adventure

There are dreams of love, life, and adventure in all of us.
But we are sadly filled with reasons why we shouldn't try.
These reasons seem to protect us, but in truth they imprison us.
They hold life at a distance. Life will be over sooner than we think.
If we have bikes to ride and people to love, now is the time.
Elisabeth Kübler-Ross

​Now and then I sit down to write on a Sunday morning, and I have no idea what I want to share. Well, this morning is one of those times where I started out without a topic but thinking back over recent events, it became obvious.

Being older than many of you, I've become acutely aware of my body slowing down. I don't feel any older except for my body creaking for ten minutes when I get up in the morning! At a time when so many of my friends are retired, I'm just having too much fun to slow down. There's that old line about if you love what you do you'll never work a day in your life. That's me! I love what I'm doing and the way our industry keeps creating new products and projects for me to sink my teeth into.

And, that brings me to my point this morning, age is just a number, and often it works both ways. I've met young photographers with so much passion and creativity their images grab me as if they're an old master. At the same time I've worked with people older than I am who look at each day as a gift and an opportunity to accomplish something new in their life.

The bottom line is that "age doesn't matter unless you're a cheese!" This is also the title of the book where I found this morning's quote. The authors, Kathryn and Ross Petras have bailed me out more than once on a Sunday morning.

Recently a new friend from Facebook commented on something I had written and asked me how I keep coming up with things to write about. I didn't have much to say except that at this point in my life, it's thanks to my readers, friends, and associates. My passion for this industry is about my love for what we do - help people capture memories, and I've shared hundreds of images over the years both personally and professionally that all lead to one point, and it's right there at the top of the page.

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I've got a bike to ride and people to love...and I've got no intention of slowing down on either one! And what keeps me feeling young? Sheila, my friends, all of you and a wonderful industry. 

Don't let anyone stand in the way of your dreams. Don't let excuses come into your life for why you shouldn't be doing something you love. Trust and love those people most important to you and let them know you're proud to have them in your life.

Wishing all of you a day of peace, love and time to ride your bike! Go for those eleven-second therapeutic hugs and don't slow down until you have to!

Happy Sunday everybody!

Note: My "bike to ride" shots are a few years old, but they were fun to use to help make the point. Both are thanks to Cantrell Portrait Design.

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