For me that drive was nursing. I loved every minute of it. I loved helping people, watching babies get stronger as they heal and grow. Helping people recover from traumatic injury or illness and having the chance to watch them walk out of the hospital with their loved ones, knowing that they survived. I was passionate and thrived on this and pushed everyday to take on more and do more for my patients. And than it happened. I burned out. I realized that the fire that burned to be a nurse and do all these things was turning into nothing more than a puff of smoke. This made me realize I needed something more.
One afternoon after a very long day on the football field we came home, and our pup was laying in front of the sliding glass door. The light was perfect and she just looked like she belonged in a pampered pets magazine. So without thinking twice I snapped a quick picture. I looked at the back of the camera and smiled. I had caught exactly what I saw and it was amazing. This in turn quickly became my favorite. A few days later I showed it to a friend of mine who had just had a baby, and from this one picture she asked if I would take pictures of her son. From there it just escalated. I fell in love with my camera. I took it out of auto and started teaching myself how to use it. I covered all the beaches in Oahu, and than slowly branched out to the Big Island and Maui. I did a few events, family reunions, graduation parties and such. This is when it hit. I was happy at work again, I had my camera that gave me the ability to focus and at the same time relax, and above all I was creating happiness for others through a whole different medium! If only I had found this sooner!
And than it happened. In one simple sentence my world, and life changed forever. My nursing career was over. Due to no real fault of my own. A failed surgery, repair, and all the damage left in the after math took away my ability to be a nurse. I was crushed and felt I had lost everything that made me useful in general. It was horrible to think that I no longer could have an impact on others lives, or make them happy anymore. I felt like my usefulness had ended. It was horrible feeling that way. I moped around the house for a long time and it just seemed like there was no way to repair the hole that I had left from nursing.
One afternoon after a very long day on the football field we came home, and our pup was laying in front of the sliding glass door. The light was perfect and she just looked like she belonged in a pampered pets magazine. So without thinking twice I snapped a quick picture. I looked at the back of the camera and smiled. I had caught exactly what I saw and it was amazing. This in turn quickly became my favorite. A few days later I showed it to a friend of mine who had just had a baby, and from this one picture she asked if I would take pictures of her son. From there it just escalated. I fell in love with my camera. I took it out of auto and started teaching myself how to use it. I covered all the beaches in Oahu, and than slowly branched out to the Big Island and Maui. I did a few events, family reunions, graduation parties and such. This is when it hit. I was happy at work again, I had my camera that gave me the ability to focus and at the same time relax, and above all I was creating happiness for others through a whole different medium! If only I had found this sooner!
And than it happened. In one simple sentence my world, and life changed forever. My nursing career was over. Due to no real fault of my own. A failed surgery, repair, and all the damage left in the after math took away my ability to be a nurse. I was crushed and felt I had lost everything that made me useful in general. It was horrible to think that I no longer could have an impact on others lives, or make them happy anymore. I felt like my usefulness had ended. It was horrible feeling that way. I moped around the house for a long time and it just seemed like there was no way to repair the hole that I had left from nursing.
I struggled with this loss for a long time, and at times I still struggle to be perfectly honest. Every week is still packed with the kids school activities, and sports, so of course as any parent would I was toting along my camera to these events. My children, especially my youngest started to take an interest in the photos that I was capturing and even started to ask if they could show their friends. It warmed my heart to see how happy just simple photos of a game or event that they participated in gave them so much happiness and pride. Enough that they were willing to show it off, and on top of that admit that their mother had taken the photo. There reactions alone have opened my eyes to many different possibilities photography can offer.
Photography has also opened new doors for me. I see things at times that I believe a number of people miss everyday. Things that are beautiful and amazing. I realize that I have to take the time to "stop and smell the roses".
Several months went by after I was unable to return to nursing and I was approached about taking some cap and gown photos for a young lady getting ready to graduate from high school. I figured it would be better than sitting around the house so I picked up my camera and dusted it off while heading out to meet her at the location. We spent an hour taking photos all around her school and using different poses and such. I got home and uploaded the photos and realized that these photos were pretty good. I went through and edited each photo and later that week delivered them to the family. They were ecstatic! They loved each photo and couldn't wait to order to prints to mail them out in the graduation announcements. It touched me to see how excited and happy they were about the photos and it seemed to mean the world too them. That is when a light went off in my head.
The hole that nursing had left in my life could be filled with something that I enjoy just as much and I could still bring a form of happiness to others. Instead of mending sicknesses and actual wounds I was documenting important events, bringing families together, and above all assisting with providing happiness. All of this done with the click of a camera shutter and some editing to add a touch of perfection.
Photography has given me purpose and drive again, and most importantly has filled a very large hole In my life. One that I never thought could be filled again.
Why do you you love photos? Or have a love for photography? Please share your story! I would love to hear them all!
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