Life Abridged
Quite often I am asked about the name of my photoblog, Bliss and Folly. With a giggle, I tell of the day that I started off my morning in a rather foul mood. Someone had keyed three sides of my car while it sat in my neighbor’s driveway.
Extremely annoyed, I did what most of us would do in this situation… I updated my Facebook status. A school friend commented, “That is so sad. I was just on your blog and your life seems so blissful.” I read this out loud to my husband Chris and we both snorted. Our reaction was “Oh yeah, our life is just full of bliss and folly.” Apparently, she had forgotten that we have two teenagers, a tween, and five dogs.
After taking some time to look back through my posts, I realized that she was right. While I was telling the story of our life in South Florida with my photographs, it was definitely the abridged version. A viewpoint that I like to call “just to the right of reality.” Missing were the details of teen angst, family health issues, and a construction business trying to survive in a recession.
Quite certain that the daily evening news provided enough commentary on such things, from that day forward Bliss and Folly became a purposeful telling of a family focused on happiness, laughter, and gratitude – a tribute to appreciating the little things in life while still dreaming big.
It is with this intent that I continue to shoot everyday trying new angles or different lighting. While most of my photography is taken within fifty feet of my bedroom, I find the most satisfaction in making even the most mundane objects and daily rituals appear more beautiful.
Today, I encourage you to grab your camera, lift it to your eye, and really focus on your life. Get down low. Climb up high. Get up close. Back away. Try switching lenses and do it all over again. Each new view will capture a different story… your story.
See more from Everyday Storyteller – Tammy Lee Bradley here.
