Valentine’s Day photography…a sonnet…and a few thoughts too! |

XLIII. “How do I love thee? Let me count the ways…”
by Elizabeth Barrett Browning (1806-1861)

How do I love thee? Let me count the ways.
I love thee to the depth and breadth and height
My soul can reach, when feeling out of sight
For the ends of Being and ideal Grace.
I love thee to the level of everyday’s
Most quiet need, by sun and candle-light.
I love thee freely, as men strive for Right;
I love thee purely, as they turn from Praise.
I love thee with a passion put to use
In my old griefs, and with my childhood’s faith.
I love thee with a love I seemed to lose
With my lost saints, — I love thee with the breath,
Smiles, tears, of all my life! — and, if God choose,
I shall but love thee better after death.

Remembering back to seventh grade…

I feel like I have always been an old soul…

Sitting in my room, paging through a beautifully scented antique book of poetry.

I lingered on Elizabeth Barrett Browning…

Today, at 43, I’m lingering once again on these pages…

The journey aspect is what I pull from this…

I found my comfort in seventh grade. What made my heart soar then, I’m remembering today…

I quiet spot, a good book, a sonnet with depth and the thoughts they provoke, beauty in small visual pieces. Sites of distant lands, scents of lavender, tastes of macaroon and tea in my Great-Grand Mother’s china cup, small trinkets from friends along the way who helped me discover my true, authentic self.

I laugh at the simple, yet subtle complexities of each visual picture. The individual image is unique within itself in color, mood and perspective but very different in tactile feel…I found the beauty in the rough, rugged UNFINISHED wood, appreciating the raw, natural state of its beauty…just as it is…it might take time to see the beauty in it, not at first glance, but once discovered, the natural aging patina grows more beautiful with each passing day…

The REFINED beauty of the cup and subtle, soft shades of cream and rose. Beautiful to many at first glance…this china, in some sense became a legacy within itself as each family holiday passed…

The shades of Lavender, and CHILDHOOD EXCITEMENT of the sparkle of a pen, the ,”giddiness”, of adventures to come….for sure I believed as I do today,”The Best Is Yet To Be”.

The paints that sit perching along my studio window sill, waiting to be heard, used, played with, discovered….ah the leap in my heart of expectation I have as I photograph them. Yearning to collage with them soon…

Remembering seventh grade….as I step into discovering myself…

The REFIND, UNFINISHED,CHILDLIKE, person that is called, Mother, Daughter, Sister, wife, friend, Heather and most importantly…ME…ME, in all the complexities of boldness, subtleness, sweetness and roughness…they all are ME>

An old soul…

May you take time this Valentine’s Day, to discover, REFIND, something that brings you joy…may you marinate in the goodness and soul nourishing of it…for, t

“The best that is yet to be”, we can all discover now.