Photo-Heart Connection: February – Finding My Wings

Quote of the day:

“Run my dear,
From anything
That may not strengthen
Your precious budding wings.”
― Hafiz

Colorful Wings – Self-portrait in Hawaii

February was a month of endings and beginnings. I ended my two and a half month walk-about in Hawaii mid-month, and returned home to Minneapolis. And during my walk-about in Hawaii I found my “precious budding wings.”

It’s pure grace when you don’t even know you’re searching for something and then you find it. I went on walk-about to experience what it was like to leave my ordinary life and step into something new and unknown. I wanted time to feel the rhythms of life somewhere new, to make photographs, to be.

I found all that and something more — my wings — living out loud in living color wings!

In my time on the Big Island I experienced such presence and deep acceptance, that I stopped censoring my behavior. I said what I thought. I did what I wanted to do. I accepted myself deeply just as I am. And I gathered up colorful clothing that didn’t go together and wore it with joy.

Each day was a new adventure. Some days were active and full of new people and new places. Other days were quiet, introspective, and meditative.

Shortly before I left, I looked at the clothing I was wearing and thought about how freely I was living and said, “This is a new colorful me that I am bringing home with me.”

I called that vision of who I had become, “Hawaii Marilyn.” So I set up my camera on the tripod with time delayed exposures and danced and played to create photos that remind me to be Hawaii Marilyn here at home with friends and family.

My heart sings every time I look at these photos. And I am reminded of how it feels to shine brightly. These wings can fly. These wings are beautiful. These wings can do anything!

May you discover your own wings and the grace to fly with them.

“Grace is what picks me up and lifts my wings high above and I fly! Grace always conquers! Be graceful in everything; in anger, in sadness, in joy, in kindness, in unkindness, retain grace with you!”
― C. JoyBell C.

Wings to Fly

Wings