Bugs

I recently read a story about how life is a journey, not a race. How we don’t go bike riding with a loved one just to get to the end, and we don’t listen to music just to hear the last note. It put things into perspective for me. And I always need some good perspective. I realized that I am probably missing out on so much with my kids. I can always find things that need to be done around the house, or I have a book that needs finishing, or dinner to make. Don’t get me wrong, I understand that those things need to be done but sometimes it’s nice to just sit back and enjoy what is happening in the moment. I thought a lot about how I could “slow down,” and I realized that I could do it through photography. Instead of weeding the flower bed every time we step outside I could watch my kids play. Hard to do when you feel like you always need to be doing something.

I’ve been slowing down, taking time to watch my kids, to photograph them. They will be grown and gone someday, and this is how I will remember all the good times. Because it’s those I want to remember, not the hard parenting stuff.

This time I caught them looking at the first rollie-poly (or potato bug) of the year. It’s almost like they had forgotten what bugs were. And their excitement and fear were delightful. It was pretty funny to watch them. First they stared, got close (kind of), and then slowly decided they could hold it.

This last photo cracks me up. My 2 year old was all for looking at the bug, but definitely not for touching it. She’s the type that when a fruit fly comes close she runs as far away as possible, screaming as loud as her little lungs will allow. She was brave to even look at the rollie-poly. So I was proud of her. And even though the photo is a little blown out I still like it.

So I will be using my camera more as a (heavy) reminder in my hand that I need to slow down and enjoy what is happening instead of waiting for the moment to be over. I think I would be sad years from now If I don’t have memories of my little ones being little.