The WordPress Daily Post sent me an interesting challenge: “For this special mid-week photo challenge, we want to see portraits of you doing something that inspires you to blog.” The challenge for me is that I am rarely in a photo, as I’m usually the one behind the camera! However, I found a selection of 5 photos that may serve this purpose.
The theme of my blog is “Striving to live gracefully in my 50th year.” I began it on my 49th birthday, and its purpose was to give me a vehicle for sharing my journey toward maturity in writing and pictures. I find inspiration for growth all around me. These pictures illustrate just a few examples. Here is a self-portrait of me wearing the corset that was part of my costume as a historic interpreter. That job inspired many posts about history, lifestyle, and preservation. Here is a picture of me with my father before he died of Alzheimer’s disease. I have met others who are caring for a parent with dementia through this blog, and questions of facing mortality, change, loss and frustration with grace have inspired many posts and comments. Here is a picture of me hiking in Zion National Park. Nature inspires me and demands my maturity every day. How are we to live in harmony on this planet with all other living and non-living things? Here is a picture of me with my children and my partner and other members of Team Galasso setting out on a walk to raise funds for the American Diabetes Association. My husband died almost 5 years ago from complications of diabetes, namely heart disease. The process of grieving his death and parenting our children drives much of the writing which finds its way into my blog. And finally, here is a picture of me beside a campfire with an abandoned lamb who is dying of starvation without its mother. It illustrates the compassion that inspires me to blog, to connect with humanity through words and photos, to face the reality of our common suffering without looking away, simply to be present in the world, aware, and alive.
The Corset
Me and Dad, in the final stages of Alzheimer’s
Team Galasso
photo by Steve
scillagrace 
Your words dear Scilla are often an inspiration…
Thank you, Helen. Our blog friendship is an inspiration, too!!
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Absolutely 🙂
great finds!
Thanks! I should give photo credit to Steve for 3 of these. Thanks for visiting!
“Nature inspires me and demands my maturity every day.” — I love that.
Blogging is an interesting thing, isn’t it?! You kind of expose yourself and have to constantly decide what you want to say to people, about people, about yourself. I’m still new but I think posts like this are a good example of how you can grow from writing.
It’s like taking my journal writing into the open…scary in some ways, but challenging me to be a more transparent person, which I think is beneficial for myself and others.
So well said, Scilla.
Thank you, Naomi!
You would appear to be a person with a beautiful heart.
Let’s hope appearance isn’t deceiving in this case! Thanks!
Glad to have stumbled upon you while browsing reader today. I think we have a kinship of sorts, I feel at home at once here.
So glad to welcome you here, Joan! Now I’ll pop over and visit your blog.
Thanks! It would seem you liked it there a bit, I’m glad you stopped by. Will be seeing you now on my Reader!
It’s amazing that one literally grows exponentially when we are confronted with death. One question: was the lamb cared by Humans and survived?
I cannot tell you what became of the lamb, for sure. We left it in the meadow with the flock. I saw it trying to nurse from a ewe that was probably not its mother, and she butted it head over heels just before I left. I hope the shepherd arrived soon and took care of it.
A touching and inspiring introduction. Thank you.
Thank you, Lucile. Good to meet you!
You’re most welcome.
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