where are you right now?

ifxyou are able . . .

and look around.

sing . . .
try blue skies smilin' at me.lay on your back . . .

and look up.

go for a walk . . .

and look down.

take time to notice the little things.

tell everyone you can what they mean to you

at the first chance you get . . .

every chance you get.

laugh . . .

and be like a kid again.

oh, and one more thing . . .

take lots of pictures.

{are you busy running around "doing life", forgetting to stop and take time to breathe? are you neglecting to just listen to or watch what's going on around you?

one of my favorite quotes by emerson is "we're always getting ready to live, but never living." how true. i know it's easy for me to say all this—i'm not working right now. but even if i was, i would want someone to remind me. working hard is important, but we can easily let life pass us by if we work too much. life is short, but full of so much if we let it be.

the last night that my father stood and breathed a waking breath on this earth, i stayed at work late for four extra hours to finish a project that was in dire need. i was supposed to be at my mom and dad's house with my two sisters helping them pack up the last things before they moved to springfield. i ended up not going because i stayed late at work instead. i thought i would have the chance to see them both the next day to say goodbye before they moved. but i only got to see my mom that day, for my dad passed in his sleep early the next morning. i would have had one last night to see him—his last night here on earth.

i'm not living in "woulda, coulda, shoulda". but i am a different person when it comes to working overtime now. sometimes you just have to know when to pack up and go home. believe me, i understand the need for the extra money or the importance of being a valuable asset to a company or to clients, especially in this economy. but i urge you to find the right balance if you can.

my mom has said this to me for as long as i can remember—"you only have one chance to live june 18th, 2009." well . . . she changes the date each time she says it, of course. but you get the point. let's start living and take a break from getting ready to live. if you already are, i applaud you.

have a blessed day.}

{ps. don't forget to take the lens cap off your camera—see last photo above. heehee. that's my good friend who is also a photographer. she actually does know what she is doing. i think she was just viewing the lcd screen here.}