Life is a lot like a flower safari

I invested in a macro photography lens and, oh boy, am I excited. As you all may know I have a big crush on flowers. Why are they so pretty? So colorful? Such bringers of joy? And I’ve been going on what I’ve been calling “Flower Safaris” for a hot minute now - but usually with my 135mm and 50mm in tow.

But now - I can get SO CLOSE. Almost invasively close. I can spend hours on a hike or even just a walk down the road taking shots of grasses, petals, random animal skulls, shrubs - I’m not too picky, looking at the world this close feels like a whole new experience.

Which brings me to this - slowing down. I’m (it feels weird to say “I’m” when in all reality, this space is just as much Cali, Rocket, and Hops’ too) creeping up on the two month mark of living in Jambo - my delightfully cozy, comfy, and homey 19 ft. RV.

I found that in the beginning I would start to feel a guilt for living this way. For not working so much (at least, in the traditional sense of work). For having days where I just made art, or just read a book, or stared at the clouds. But the longer I’m in this space, the more I stop worrying about the guilt and start to sink into a slower pace. To take the time to cultivate the things I’m passionate about. To take care of my body and health through exercise, books and podcasts, learning new skills online, spending time with the pets, and of course - taking long, long, strolls looking for new flowers to snap photos of. Or just spending an hour taking photos of one flower with multiple lenses and angles.

The point is - slowing down doesn’t have to mean slacking. While I still do some work for money, the rest of my time is work towards other things. I think for so long my brain has equated what you do with your self worth that stepping back from that felt abrupt, like I shirking something I had to do. But work comes in all shapes and sizes - and I think that as the world changes how we work is changing too.

Anyway, here are some more flowers - because really, you came here for the flowers right?