Snapshots

Kathleen has been my friend for just about 16 years. We don't see each other very often, but I follow her blog and catch up with her on FB. We used to make coffee together at a hip local coffeehouse in the early 90's, when we were young and went to the beach on a whim and shopped at thrift stores and rolled our eyes a lot. Kathleen is a photographer. And she takes the most incredible pictures. The world through her camera lenses is magical and joyous.

She inspires me to try new things, to see the loveliness in the mundane. Nearly a handful of years ago, when her little sparkle of a son was born, she resolved to take a single snapshot of him each day for a year. What an amazingly simple thing, right? Just point, click, done - easy, no? Well... no. At least for me. I often don't see the preciousness of each day, even as I've developed wrinkles around my eyes (which I can't even seem to moisturize every day) and approach my 40's. I've always glossed over memories that come from daily life, instead looking for some big event that merits remembering. And yet, I barely remember my wedding at the courthouse 13 years ago or the day my girls took their first steps.

My 13-year old (yes, you do the math!) Suzannah saved up and recently bought herself a DSLR. She takes it with her to sleepover parties, so there are many, many images of hairstyles, pajamas, and silly faces. But there are also precious images of our whimsical dog Annie, of an annoyed younger sister, and close-ups of the things that clutter our home. Suz reminds me of Kathleen in many ways - cheerful, kind, and giving, but with a quick wit that saves her from being too soft. Her photos also show me that she sees the magic in each day.