Travel isn’t always as pretty as the idea sounds. It’s often uncomfortable. At times it even breaks your heart. But I’ve decided that it’s ok. Each journey changes us, and it should.
Since the end of last wedding season I’ve been racking up the frequent flyer miles. Travel is incredible. It’s takes everything out of you and then… it can breathe all of life back into you. Since September I’ve been to Palm Springs, Vancouver BC (3x), Kauai (3x), Norway, France, Ireland, and scorching hot Mexico. I am so blessed especially since a lot of those trips could include work in some way. That my “job” could take me places like this. I hate calling it a job. It is. But it’s my passion. What I love. Fuels my heart. It’s my life. Not just a job.
The trip to Mexico it all caught up to me. The uncomfortable part of travel. Until then the uncomfortable was just not being able to sleep on a plane. Drugged or not… I can’t do it. And because of it I’m the one wrapped in a hoodie with her flip flops thrown out on the ground, bags scattered, hat over my face and passed out asleep on a heater (literally ON a heater) in the Toronto airport. Exhaustion settled in. I live the fast life. Which for now I won’t stop doing. It’s too short not to. But I’ve realized that within that fast life there needs to be slower moments. Because if I can’t have time to reflect on the fast portion can I really appreciate all that happened? I came home at the end of April and decided it was time to stay home a bit. For so many reasons. Sooooo many. It was just time to slow it down. Honestly, it’s been 3.5 weeks and I’m about to lose my mind!!! The itch is back to just GO. But I’m gonna hang in there and chill cause it’s about to be crazy time.
But I’ve had time to look back over the last couple seasons. And man were they beautiful. I vowed to myself this year to step in front of the camera more. It took time to do it and get comfortable doing it often. To not just photograph where I was, but who I was with and us LIVING in it. Although I’ve spent time with so many people in my travels, Meg, has been there on a lot of those trips. So grateful to have such a close friend (really she’s like family) on a similar path in life and able to travel so much. I’ve sat here reflecting on our whirlwind of an “off-season” and I couldn’t be more proud of the women I see in the photos. The transformation from last year to now is amazing. I see myself and love her. Who she is. Where she came from. Where she’s going. I want this for EVERY woman… to be empowered by other great women, but really to empower yourself. To love yourself is a incredible gift.
Words are so powerful. I’m obsessed with good words. I have quite the pinterest board for them even. All intentionally chosen. But, there is one quote that I read and I say it to myself. Not as if someone else thinks it about me. If they do… great. But it’s a line to myself.
“She is delightfully chaotic; a beautiful mess. And loving her is a splendid adventure.” – Steve Maraboli
Meg and I forced ourselves to get dressed and take some photos of us living. What an incredible hand we’ve been dealt in life. Lets preserve it. It kinda seemed like a burden and we really just wanted to nap and read on the beach in Mexico. But we pulled our shit together and let the camera be in front of us. And I’m grateful. Life is precious, I know this too well. And the only way to stop time and live through it again, revisit it, share it, is to photograph it.
Thank you Meg for photographing me, just as me. Here are a few of my favorites. Not just me, but also of my beautiful friend.
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