Change of pace (kind of a long one)

I am very much a creature of habit but today the weather changed, so I thought you know what I will too.  Excitedly I put on my ripped skinny jeans, and boots (which I’ve been DYING to wear for weeks now) and pulled out into the seemingly gloomy weather.  Personally, I’ll take the chilly and rainy day over muggy nastiness we’ve been having.  Fall and winter are my favorite seasons.  The beautiful foliage, change in the air, people start getting ready for the holidays and start being a bit nicer to each other.  Luckily in our area, people are pretty nice already, but it just gets that much better.  Anyhow, it’s no secret that I spend a ridiculous amount of time working remotely at Copper Coin in downtown Woodstock.  When school’s in if I’m not shooting, you can generally find me there after my morning run, until it’s time for the bus.  I love that place.  The regulars and staff form a sweet little family all our own.  Today, I thought I’d change it up some.  I was DYING for an orange scone from Panera, so I dropped in here.  The scone was of course amazing, coffee is, well, eh coffee.  I’m so spoiled by my off menu concoction at cc, that no coffee will suffice anymore.  I guess I’m a bit of a brat like that..lol.  As I sit here in this foreign place (yes, I realize that’s a bit extreme) listening to the chatter of a table of ladies while eating my scone, it became clear to me why I love cc.  I love the comrodery there, and how everyone cares about eachother, and their day.  That may very well go on here, but I’m not a part of it, if it does, so it’s less evident to me.  I am so very blessed by the people God has put in my life.  I always ask him to put the people in my path who are meant to be there, and for me to recognize it when he does.  Sometimes, I ignore him, or don’t realize it’s him.  If you know me at all you know I’m not churchy, very rarely even go.  It’s extremely rare I talk God or religion with people, but periodically I do.  Anyway, yesterday a dear friend of mine came by to borrow something.  He’s a sweet kid who seems to be pretty sound in his spirituality, probably one of the most spiritually sound people in my life (ironic considering his age).  Another relationship forged within the confines of my favorite coffee shop.  He showed up bearing coffee, which is my usual rental fee, and an envelope.  I noticed it but didn’t think anything of it really.  After we got to talking he said, “oh, by the way I have mail for you.”  With a confused look on my face I took the envelope from his hand.  On the envelope it said “Jessica Duplantis” (NILMDTS photographer).  (For those of you who don’t know I’ve been a volunteer with wwww.NowILayMeDownToSleep.org for about 5 years now.  The long and skinny of this group is that we go into hospitals to provide bereavement photography for families.  I am currently on break from the group due to life circumstances of my own. ) Inside the envelope was a beautiful note from the mother of the last baby I photographed before going on break.  Included with the note was a picture the babies sister had drawn before he was born.  It was an angel standing over the bedside of a mother holding a blue baby.  The sister drew this months before the family had any indication there was a problem.  The parents said that she tends to have prophetic drawings, which I am a believer in.  I believe God speaks to us, and children are more inclined to listen, b/c they are not yet jaded by the world.

As usual this is not where my mind was headed when I sat down to write this blog post.  I guess my point to all of this is that God talks to us even in our darkest hour.   Sometimes, it’s super easy to ignore, or not recognize it’s him, others he’s standing there SCREAMING in your face.  I do believe that’s the case here.  I will be re-instating my NILMDTS status very soon here.  In what can be a very dark world at times, there is always a glimmer of hope if you look and are willing to see it.  I am so incredibly blessed to have the amazing people in my life that I do.  I suppose that’s a large part of the reason I love my coffee shop and don’t stray from it often.  I love the people there and care about their lives, and their day.  I hope that from time to time I can brighten them when they are down as they do for me.  🙂  I guess you never truly know how you effect others lives.  I hoe that periodically I can inspire people with these rants, or lift someones mood.  I’ve realized in recent months, we are all just people that are human, trying to do what we think is right.  From time to time we get lost and off track, but hey, that’s life.  I usually manage to tie photography back into my blog posts, but I think this round, I’m going to leave it right here, as is.

Thank you so much to all of my family and friends, random strangers, people I haven’t met, who have supported me or had a kind thought or word about me.  I am so fortunate to be surrounded by amazing people.  A HUGE thanks to all of my clients who have beleived in and trusted me to capture their cherished memories.  Without you I’d just be a girl with a camera.  🙂  Much love to you all.