Change Your Thinking

It’s been said that it  will take just 37 seconds to read this and change your thinking..

Two men, both seriously ill, occupied the same hospital room.

One man was allowed to sit up in his bed for an hour each afternoon to help drain the fluid from his lungs.

His bed was next to the room’s only window.

The other man had to spend all his time flat on his back.

The men talked for hours on end.

They spoke of their wives and families, their homes, their jobs, their involvement in the military service, where they had been on vacation..

Every afternoon, when the man in the bed by the window could sit up, he would pass the time by describing to his roommate all the things he could see outside the window.

The man in the other bed began to live for those one hour periods where his world would be broadened and enlivened by all the activity and color of the world outside.

The window overlooked a park with a lovely lake

Ducks and swans played on the water while children sailed their model boats. Young lovers walked arm in arm amidst flowers of every color and a fine view of the city skyline could be seen in the distance.

As the man by the window described all this in exquisite details, the man on the other side of the room would close his eyes and imagine this picturesque scene.

One warm afternoon, the man by the window described a parade passing by.

Although the other man could not hear the band – he could see it in his mind’s eye as the gentleman by the window portrayed it with descriptive words.

Days, weeks and months passed.

One morning, the day nurse arrived to bring water for their baths only to find the lifeless body of the man by the window, who had died peacefully in his sleep.

She was saddened and called the hospital attendants to take the body away.

As soon as it seemed appropriate, the other man asked if he could be moved next to the window. The nurse was happy to make the switch, and after making sure he was comfortable, she left him alone.

Slowly, painfully, he propped himself up on one elbow to take his first look at the real world outside. He strained to slowly turn to look out the window besides the bed.

It faced a blank wall..

The man asked the nurse what could have compelled his deceased roommate who had described such wonderful things outside this window.

The nurse responded that the man was blind and could not even see the wall.

She said, ‘Perhaps he just wanted to encourage you.’

Epilogue:

There is tremendous happiness in making others happy, despite our own situations.

Shared grief is half the sorrow, but happiness when shared, is doubled.

If you want to feel rich, just count all the things you have money can’t buy.

‘Today is a gift, this is why it is called The Present .’

The origin of this letter is unknown, and I have read it several times.

It doesn’t change how my heart feels every time I read it.

Hugs.

We have choices every day. We can focus on the negative, the hiccups, the doom and gloom or we can turn our energy to the beauty and wonderful we have around us.   Being conscious of what we’re saying or thinking can set our life on a much more affirmative path.

My computer files have been in total disarray and I have been working on categorizing them better, so that my work flow will be must faster. Rather than hunting through tons of files or folders I am simplifying the process. Clear cut titles and dates. (if you have a wonderful filing system that you could share, please do so)

While doing this simple task, it made me realize that just like my disjointed files this is a lot like life. Being able to focus on simple positive actions will make my life/ work better.  And isn’t that what we all want?  At least for me, I am working on the positive and beauty that is around me. I don’t even want to go to look at the dark side ANY more! I’m not looking at life through rose colored glasses, I know there will still be disjointed “files” that will come my way and I will take care of them. But I will not spend any more time on the negative than is necessary.

For the next few posts I will be sharing some of the grand positive quotations I have found. Thoughts become things. Please be sure and chime in with your comments. I love hearing from you!

QUOTE:  A positive attitude may not solve all your problems, but it will annoy enough people to make it worth the effort.  ~Herm Albright

Driving the other day I noticed this fabulous bush aside the road.

I have not a clue what this is.  Any one??

Hope you are enjoying your Spring.

Stop by our Focusing on Life blog — we have some wonderful examples of spring!

Hugs

And remember:

“If friends were flowers, I’d pick you!”  unknown

I’m sharing a Mr. Linky party over at Focusing on Life — our collaborative blog. 

Come join us as we have some fun sharing our wonderful Spring photos.

Hope you are finding the beauty in your life.

Speaking of — I have edited my original post — I couldnt help but share this FANTASTIC video– CLICK HERE

Hugs!

Good Timber does not grow with ease;

The stronger the wind, the stronger the trees.

J. Willard Marriott

Many of you have emailed me with concern about where I have been… thank you so much for missing me.

Give a click to the photo above and that should take you over to where I have been working for the past two months!  9 friends have been working on putting together like minds about life and capturing the moment (photography wise) I hope we will have some great inspirations and giveaways… we have only just begun. The group obviously is called Focusing On Life.

I hope you are still finding the beauty in life, that is right where you are standing.

Hugs!

]]> http://www.dipityroad.com/photography/stronger/feed 4 http://www.dipityroad.com/photography/out-of-words http://www.dipityroad.com/photography/out-of-words#comments Fri, 17 Feb 2012 03:05:34 +0000 Claudia http://www.dipityroad.com/?p=2765

Obviously I have not had much to say. I am running around in so many directions that the last thing I had on my mind was updating my personal blog. I appreciate those of you who have stuck by me, or written asking me if I was ok.

Im ok. Im frazzled (but then that might be my new normal)

These couple of photos are ones that I have been working on with the help of some prompts.  My version of RED this year is Pink… just like me a bit faded

This particular one would not win any awards on “what is the subject.” but it is an example of fast moving water… with a bit of wonderful light reflecting and a slower shutter speed to blend the motion of the water.

Lastly — a sad note.  One of my favorite editing tools is Picnik — No big flashy — bell and whistle program but it was fun when I wanted something fast and quick! (as I have long said I am a lazy editor…) BUT … Google announced that the free program will no longer be available after April and so I am whining.

Now for the lighter side. If you have had an email account for any amount of time you have surely received funny emails that made you laugh.  Through the years I have kept some of the fun ones and I stumbled upon one of those the other day in trying to clean up my folders. I hope you get a laugh as I did re-reading it again! (wish I knew who wrote it, as I would love to give them comic credits!)

Hope you are having a great day!  Choose to see the beauty around you.

Hugs

It’s almost been a year since we lost Sharon.

She was a wonderful mother, daughter, wife, friend and fabulous sister.

Words can not express the loss I feel on a daily basis.  And I can only imagine how her kids and husband and mother and friends all feel. The loss is palatable.

I hear her in my head and my heart. She was always my biggest cheerleader and she would not want us to not move forward and work at making our dreams come true. So I listen to her.

Just the other evening I attended a meeting where we got to see our top 10 favorite photos projected on a wall. My guess is that they were approximately 15 x 25′ tall.  It took my breath away to see my work that large. It was fun!

So, in not any particular order… my favorite of the year 2011

Sharon’s grand daughter

Laddy

Gateway Fountain

An Evening in Seattle

Artful endeavor

My favorite colors

Early Spring Snow – Can’t beat Utah’s beauty

Falling in leaves

Emma

Dear Dear Friend

Looking back is not something I do too often… but it’s been a hard year but I know I am moving in the right direction and I will continue to find the beauty in life and keep listening to my sister.

Hugs!

]]> http://www.dipityroad.com/photography/look-back/feed 16 http://www.dipityroad.com/photography/a-portrait-is-not-a-piece-of-paper http://www.dipityroad.com/photography/a-portrait-is-not-a-piece-of-paper#comments Wed, 04 Jan 2012 02:16:20 +0000 Claudia http://www.dipityroad.com/?p=2739 Like the link I am about to share… there will be no photo attached with today’s post.

This is REAL and so true.

There will be no portrait photos in this post.  This letter wasn’t mailed – it was at my doorstep when I got home a couple months ago.  I read it, I cried, and read it again – probably a hundred times by now.  It wasn’t easy to read – and honestly, as much as it validates what I do for a living – I wasn’t sure I was going to share it either – Until today, when a past client said that my print prices were too expensive.  If you choose to read through the letter, you will know why I’ve finally chosen to share it.

July 2nd, 2011

Jeanine -

Today I am writing for a couple of reasons.  I have some quiet time at the moment and need to get a couple of things off my mind.  I will leave this for my husband to deliver to you when he is ready.

You photographed my wedding, you photographed my first pregnancy and my first baby.  I contacted you awhile back to photograph my 2nd child and family.  After getting prices and realizing I would want all of the pictures as we love your work – I decided against spending $500+ – which is what I normally spend for portraits and prints with you..  Please know it is not because I don’t value your amazing eye, or how much we love the experience.

That week that I decided to NOT do a session with you, this is how I spent some money.

On Sunday I called and cancelled our session.  Monday I went out and got my hair cut ($39+tip), and colored ($65), Thursday I had my nails done ($24), my family went out to dinner at a somewhat expensive restaurant for no particular reason costing us $79 + tip.  This was just 4 days since canceling our session, already totaling over $200 for un necessary things.  My nails only lasted about 2 weeks, my hair is gone, and seven weeks passed when I got the phone call from our doctor.  It was not something I expected and the cancer has spread very quickly.  I will be leaving my husband, my 6 year old girl and my now 2 year old – not by choice.  It is very hard for me to talk about it which is why I need to write you.

I watch your Facebook page and your posts about the value of a photo and if I could give back all of those things that I purchased this few weeks after I cancelled my session with you, knowing what I know now, and have that session, well… I would do it in a heartbeat.

Now my time is done and there are no more chances for me.  The next time someone cancels a session – my wish is that you forward this letter to them.  Time is fragile, it is gone before you know you had it.  If you charged $200 for one print it wouldn’t be enough for what it is actually worth.  I cringe to think that my priorities were a manicure over a memory to pass onto my babies and husband.

My love and thanks for what you have given us from past photos.  I am so sorry that I did not see it as more than paper until now.

Karen L.

Click here to read all the comments and original –

Happy New Year

Claudia