Just be

Since the covid 19 lock-down, I have been doing a lot of thinking and noticing things.

As an artist and professional wedding photographer, I tend to think of a lot of things in images and music, sometimes colors too but that’s another story.

I have been thinking a lot about the song Turn! Turn! Turn! by The Byrds lately. There’s a line in it that says there’s a time for everything.

listen if you like. It has me thinking about seasons, the actual 4 seasons, the seasons of things we experience in life, and their meanings. The biggest thing I have seen or noticed throughout this is the effect all of this has been having on nature. There’s quiet and stillness again.

Quiet and stillness brings out the best in everything and everyone. This has been a very unsettling time for all of us. Some folks’ worlds have been more upended than others, but there always are silver linings. The earth has been getting a rest from us menacing, consuming humans and the oceans are quiet again from our sounds. It’s helping the whales, the dear and endangered, are singing again, and getting to communicate better.

https://www.newscientist.com/article/2244359-which-animals-are-benefitting-from-coronavirus-lockdowns

Their song can be heard for miles.

That said so much can be learned from our brothers and sisters in nature, and in quiet and stillness. Perhaps if we quiet ourselves as well, I know I can sometimes struggle with this, perhaps we could hear nature again. We may learn something from nature, ourselves and each other, and maybe, just maybe we can learn communicate better again too. I love my quiet times at sunrise alone in the grass of my front yard and I am continually learning to try to surrender to that part of myself that just is. So, I decided to ask a few of our readers, friends and wedding couples their stillness stories, during lock-down, so we could share them with you, and we can all grow together. I hope we can help each other as inspire each other here. If you have some stories of your own you would like to share, please share them with us here and tell us a tiny bit about you. jax1@jaxphotography.com. Saying hi from our heart to yours.

Stories

1. “I like to take walks in the evening, taking in all the sounds, hearing all the animals with no cars at all around. Unplugging from industrialization, no worrying, no wondering.”– Julia wife chef author
2. “Morning walks with Stella Grace (the dog)” –Meg is a scientist, a volunteer, an activist changing the world, and friend
3. “Most days I find myself staring out an open window. I listen for sounds of raindrops, chirping birds, and looking for shadows on sunny days. Bird song reminds me not to worry. I figure if God provides for the birds so much that they sing a lovely tune I have no need to worry because he has given me everything I need to sing too.” –Crista is a nurse a mom and a wife
4. “Nightly walks with the kiddos and a full skin care and body routine.”– Allie is a mom a wife and a clean-living ambassador
5. “I love to take long hot baths with a lush bath bomb and listen to the podcast Ratchet & Respectable Demetria L. Lucas ”–Theresa is a daughter, a bride, and in the hospitality industry.
6. “I picked up one of my husband’s habits during the pandemic. Every morning I remember he used to before the business of life he would sit for a few moments quietly gazing out the window quietly in the dining room. He watched the sunlight dance across the yard, and the birds peck freely in the mulch, butterflies chasing each other, laying a game of tag and enjoying the many gifts nature has to offer.”– Desiree is and artist former flight attendant author and mom.
7. “As a couple we have enjoyed turning our apartment into our own dance club. We just turn up the music and enjoy dancing together. I also enjoy walks on my own with our dog OG. I just put my headphones on and go. He loves to run by the two lakes near our home.” –Christina is a bride to be, a teacher, a daughter, a friend and a fur mom
8. “Sitting quietly not needing to say a word with my husband. I love that.” –Sarah is a newlywed, a computer scientist, daughter and friend
9. “I find spending time in nature very centering. If I can’t go outside, I will watch the movement of the clouds through the window to find peace. If I am outside, I love exploring the intricacies of flowers or tree bark.” –Amber is a reiki master, wife, fur mom, and holistic pet healer.
10. “I love siting in our backyard surrounded by our landscaping just listening to the sounds of nature and watching the hummingbirds and bluebirds.” –Jody is a newlywed
11. “Not sure that I have many still moments, but I enjoy cooking meals, virtual reunions with friends and snuggle time with my dog and checking things off my to do list one by one. Also learning new skills, watching old family videos, and having the time to look through family photos, and albums. It’s been nice to be able to do some of these things you never feel like you have time to do.” –Nicole is a wife, a mom, a fur mom and a teacher, and looks at the sunny side of almost everything, loves looking for golf balls.
12. “There’s been a lot of losses lately in my world and in the larger world. There’s a big rock I like to visit right next to the Potomac River. I have been going there for many years to sit meditate and watch the water pass by. Recently I have been using “I AM” affirmations to identify myself with love, energy and light.” –Anthony is a musician, a musical healer, dance artist visionary, and author.
13. “I have not noticed the pandemic very much truthfully very much being in the dessert here. But I have found that spending time with my husband via text and face time has been very centering and I am thankful for that.” –Catherine is a newlywed, a fur mom, and a service member stationed in Iraq.
14. “I love to go sit in the shade on my porch in the afternoon and watching all of my neighbors out walking. Before the pandemic you’d see folks out exercising but now you see couples walking and talking together just enjoying each other’s company. It fills me with hope.”– Chris is a nuclear engineer, a groom to be, a father, and a friend.

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