I'm really looking forward to Thanksgiving this year. In part because it's at the top of my list of favorite holidays. But mostly because this seems to be a good year to celebrate the simple things I'm grateful for. Health, growth, love, and new beginnings.
It doesn't feel like the year to swing the pendulum from the isolation of last year to a big elaborate production. It feels like the year to reflect on what 2020 brought into my life that I'd like to preserve.
One of those things was an appreciation for simple pleasures: writing a postcard to a friend, chatting on the phone with my dad, spending the time to properly prepare and enjoy a meal, making time to really catch up with a friend and making time to compose and shoot a photograph on film. In fact we all become so enamored with our renewed interest in film photography, we shot our entire inspiration guide on film this year. It was an exercise in patience and faith. Both things I feel I've re-discovered this past year.
And I've learned to appreciate my health and the health of my loved ones in a way that I had not before. I've learned to look at doctor's appointments, workouts and hydration as investments in my health rather than as optional things that I will squeeze in when I have time.
Lastly, I've learned to treat my time as a precious resource. While I love a good Netflix binge, when faced with a choice about how to spend my time, I'm more likely now to spend my time reading, talking to my friends or family members or learning something new.
I hope your Thanksgiving brings you some quiet moments to celebrate what's good and to reflect on what's important to you.
XX Laurie