Within and Without

"I was within and without, simultaneously enchanted and repelled by the inexhaustible variety of life"

The Great Gatsby -- F Scott Fitzgerald

This last weekend was a bit of a roller coaster.

I spent an entire two and half days running around doing errands, making appearances at events, and heading off to meet some new clients.

It was tiring to say the least.

Stephen was kind enough to drive me to my family shoot yesterday afternoon. I am so grateful for him. We got to the area a little early and we decided to just sit for a moment and take in a few deep breathes before heading off to my booking. I didn't want to though, I wanted to keep on moving and get my checklist done, but Stephen assured me that I needed this tiny break. And so we sat on the grass, by the trees, watching the wind move the leaves around in circles. We only stayed like this for about 15minutes. So short but ever so sweet.

Sometimes you just have to stop what you're doing for a moment and realise that it isn't the world that's moving fast around you, it's you that's moving fast around the world. If you just stop for a moment, you realise that time can stand still, even if it is just for a moment.

Occasionally, I feel very alienated from life and I don't mean that in the lonely way but I mean I sometimes don't feel present. I feel like I am so busy, running around, making my life what I want it to be, that I end up not being in my life at all. The moment I stop everything and take a breathe however, I suddenly start to feel present again. I move more slowly, but I take in more of everything.

I was so thankful for Stephen for making me stop. It cleared my head and relaxed me. It reminded me that I need to declutter my life and live more simply. I feel like I am missing out on such great moments that are to be enjoyed.

I encourage you to stop what you're doing right now. Walk away from your desk, phone, computer, or tablet and go outside for 5 min and take in the moment. Clear your mind and inhale deeply. Trust me, you won't regret it.

Inspired: Glamping

This summer I am determined to be outdoors more.

I am an adventurous person at heart and so I feel frustrated when I can't put that adventurous spirit to good use. I instead find myself confined to an office or bedroom complaining about how uninteresting my life is rather than doing something about it #firstworldproblems

It is currently pouring down with rain outside and that makes me even more frustrated because I so badly want to go out and explore but with lightning firing down at me, I don't think it is the wisest of options. So instead I am here daydreaming of my summer to be (only 9 more days!).

Glamour Camping (aka Glamping) is something I only recently discovered. It takes the rugged-ness of camping out of the equation and instead replaces it with pretty linens, 1950's camper-vans and large morrocon rugs that seem to only exist on Pinterest.

I almost feel that glamping is somewhat cheating the system though. Isn't camping meant to push you out of your comfort zone? I dunno, that's what I always thought. Then again, there is something dreamy and magical about it, isn't there?

I've never been the glamourous type but I may, just may make an exception in this one occasion.

What are your thoughts on glamping? Cheat or Treat?

^^taken from Pinterest.

Warmth

A couple of weeks ago, I woke up to the week in a slump. It wasn't fun. All I wanted to do was roll up into a ball and count the speckles of dust floating through the room.

This week was different though and it warms my heart knowing that.

After what seemed like decades, the slump I was in alleviated. What was amazing though was it was through no fault of my own. It wasn't anything I did or didn't do. It was all from Him.

I don't talk about my faith very much on here but I want to. Why do I hide it away? I am nowhere near ashamed of it. Rather I am proud of it. It is a healer, a giver, a lover, a protector and most importantly a saviour.

Over the last few weeks I have forgotten my faith. I forgot about it's power and its ability to heal me from my troubles and because of this I landed myself into many troubles of my own.

I was angry, depressed, envious and just plain ugly on the inside. I didn't like myself and I don't think many other people did either.

On Sunday I was reminded of the power of faith and it hit me, it hit me hard. I felt something take over my body, I felt a darkness escape from the deepest corners of my soul and in its place came a warmth that hugged my body tight. My eyes wept, wept hard, as if washing away the troubles I had been facing and I knew that something that night had changed within me. I felt happy and that in itself felt amazing.

The darkness was gone, and even if it was to be temporary, it was gone.

The last few days have been great. I have felt more patient, more loved, more gracious, more humble and more me. I don't know how long this will last but I am going to try to hold out as long as I can.

Today I came into work, made myself some tea, watered my cactus, put up the work Christmas tree and said a little prayer. A little prayer in thanks of my Lord Jesus Christ, praising him for his wonder, his love and his grace.

I pray that all of you are filled with warmth this week and if you are, please...please don't let it go.

:)

Inspired: Ink in Water

I've always been fascinated with how ink diffuses when added to water.

In an instant, something so simple and 'bland' becomes filled with an array of clouded colour and vibrance.

Something new is created, as two separate entities become one.

I love that. How two things, so different, can diffuse and unite into one another and become something new. Something that contains elements of its prior hosts but now is somewhat entirely different.

I like watching things change and transform. Even if its making ripples in a still lake or planting a seed and watching it grow. I like how things are never truly constant. They are always moving. Time always goes on, our cells continue to be replaced, the clouds in the sky move on day by day, the planets in our solar system constantly moving in the same orbit.

It's fascinating.

Water, something so normal and ordinary, can be transformed into so many amazing things by just adding a drop of colour.

Perhaps our lives need a drop of colour every now and then. Perhaps taking a little break from being normal and ordinary can help us see a side of us that we never truly knew. Perhaps a little change isn't so bad.

What will you do this weekend to add some colour into your life?

Hello Zara: Interview

This week I did a little interview with online blogger H E L L O  Z A R A.

I spoke a little about myself, about how I got into what I'm doing, and some technical details about my photography.

Take a look.

http://hello-zara.blogspot.com.au/2013/11/interview-with-samantha-heather_1106.html

The calm.

The calm after the storm is one of my favourite times.

Life is still.

It does not move.

It is preparing for more, waiting for another fall to hit.

But it does not come...

...and after a while life begins to move and come alive.

Creeping out from the shadows and into the light, to rebuild once more.

Praying for the victims of Typhoon Haiyan today.

Inspired: Alexander

85 years ago, Mr Alexander Fleming discovered a little something called...Penicillin.

Heard of it? You probably should have by now.

If it wasn't for Mr Fleming's discovery, many of us today may not be alive.

This week I have been home sick. It hasn't been fun. Being home from work seems like a great idea but it pushes everything back. When you can't get out of bed or do the things you usually love to do, you start feeling hopeless. It also doesn't help when everyone around you seems to be having such a marvellous week from weddings, to engagements, to employment, to holidays, to just being able to go the beach.

Stephen reminded me something though. To be grateful for the blessings I have or even more importantly the blessings that have been given to other people.

Mr Fleming here was blessed with knowledge and intelligence great enough to discover penicillin which saved the lives of thousands. I thank God for him and his blessing. He probably spent many days sick at home, or saw many people fall away to illness, especially during the war. He probably had the worst weeks ever - much worse than me. But he pushed on, he kept going and thanks to his perseverance and fortunate luck, he discovered that little penicillin mould growing in that petri dish.

The rest is history.

I am grateful today for all the blessings that other people have been given. I am grateful for all the people who have helped change and heal the world. What a miracle these blessings are.

Who are you grateful for?

Family || Leo: Part 2

Early one Sunday I ventured into the suburbs to meet the family of Louis, Chloe and little Leo. Their family was as bright and sunny as the day we had before us.

Leo's smile was bigger than him and it again reminded me how lucky I am to be doing what I do.

These photos bring a smile to my face, I hope they do the same for you.