31 Days of Pictures

So the other day (alright, last night) I was checking out the new things on Pinterest and found this:

via Fat Mum Slim

Now if you've spent any amount of time searching the blog sphere you've probably run across the challenge Project 365, which has taken many shapes and forms but the general idea is that you take a picture everyday for an entire year.  I'll leave you to research the reasons you might accept a challenge such as that.

Back to the above pic.  I was immediately taken by the fact that instead of just randomly taking a singular picture everyday for a month, the creator had given ideas to what to take each day.  If I'm completely honest if I were to take a picture everyday (I sort of do already) they would almost 100% of the time be of my kids.  Not that they aren't adorable, they are, still if something is going to be challenging it needs to have the ability to step out of your comfort zone.

So today, being May 1st I decided to have a go at this.  Not in the casual, well if it doesn't work out no biggie, but in the I'm going to take a picture everyday for the month of May and share them with the world...or as much of the world as I can.  My reason is namely to get myself in the habit of not just taking pictures for posterity, or for the blog, or for family and friends but to see the meaning behind the picture.  To stretch myself as I learn photography and learn the artistic side of photography too.

With all that in mind I share...

I know, I know it's a picture of my son...but really it isn't.  Let me explain.  Today the goal was to photograph peace.  I have always been of the conviction that while a hot bubble bath, good book and a nice cup of hot cocoa is peaceful, more or less that is restful.  Peace to me isn't the avoidance of conflict, anytime you put two people in the same room conflict arises large or small.  No, peace true and complete peace is the ability to continue with what you were doing a midst the trials and noise of conflict.

So this morning as I sat at the table reading Mean Moms Rule (a fabulous book too) I looked up to catch my son playing with his cars and I was struck by the peace I found in the scene.  My 2-year-old in only his diaper, pen mark on his face, paint chipping on his highchair tray playing most contently with his cars as his older brothers watched a movie, his sister ran around the house as the princess and his mother read a book sipping chai tea.   He found that in spite of his surroundings and the relative chaos he could focus on one thing and do that one thing well.

That my dear friends is peace.  Knowing that no matter what happens, who is doing what, how you're feeling, if the laundry is done or there are groceries in the fridge; that you can still focus on one solitary thing and accomplish it well.

Here's to more pictures about the beauty we find in life!  Hope you find your peaceful moment today too!