To say I was in a horrible place would be an understatement. Nothing was going right. Every day was filled with stress and chaos. Too often life gets in the way. We forget to stop. We forget there is a world outside of ourselves. Our own minds and our own four walls. That sometimes we get in our own way. Until we have an epiphany. Mine was long overdue!
I knew I loved writing, especially poetry. A vast mix of light and dark. Emotional and loving, twisting them together to make something beautiful.
I never really thought I would be good at photography. I always took terrible pictures of myself. The kind you never post online. I would rather edit myself with dog ear filters.
Until I took my first stroll. I saw some beautiful flowers on my walk. I knew I had to get pictures. Everything aligned I wanted more and more. I wanted the sky full of clouds. The squirrel eating in the yard. The rainbow that appeared after a storm. Proving something good comes from chaos!
I found myself in a butterfly garden. Full of benches to sit in. The sound of running water and lily pads. To sit and be for a moment. Usually, I do not crave the quiet. Lately I begged for it. I dreamt of it.
Immersed in a beautiful array of colored flowers. Butterflies in all colors, fluttering by me. Bees eating the nectar from the flowers. The flowers, did not disappoint either. So many beautiful colors, and types. I knew there were lots of kinds. In the garden it seemed impossible that so many types exist. So many to help save the butterflies!
Am I the butterfly lady? The reclaimed version of the cat lady? I wouldn't go that far. I was however taught the life cycles of the butterfly by my father. Who has now passed on. I wonder if I ever taught my niece and nephew this? I am sure school teaches that, right?
I miss when things were simple and uncomplicated. A hug and a kiss fixed all you boo boos. Chocolate milk saved the day.
Something about the world is darker now, harder now. Maybe it was Covid. Maybe it was coming all along. But I am too stubborn to lay down in defeat!
Seeing those beautiful butterflies and flowers was extremely calming. Photography makes me want to see the beautiful things in life. If not, we have the black and white button?
I know I cannot be the only one who needs a revamping in their life. Needing something new, something different, to make yourself feel alive. To restore what was lost.
At first that was poetry. Then it was taking pictures. I think now I am developing a thirst for both combined. I want to tell the story. I want to find the perfect photo for the story.
I probably should thank the magazine I submit to for also helping. I kept see the painting prompts. I know I am not the most talented painter who ever lived. I might be able to teach grade school children a thing or two.
Photography brought the life back in me, just like poetry had before. I could view things with a new set of eyes. A set of eyes untouched by the world. A world of uncertainty. Photography doesn't feel uncertain. Even if you miss the shot, there is another photo waiting to be taken. Waiting to be cherished in entirety.
Do not let the world harden you. Find what your passion is and run with it. Even if no one believes you, even if no one supports you. I believe in you, even on your worst day! You can and you will turn it around!
About the Creator
Christy Granger
I’m a writer and digital content creator. Changing lives one word at a time. I build stories, guides, and digital tools that help people move forward— with confidence.
buymeacoffee.com/grangerchro
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