A few years ago, I went to see a chiropractor. I had a few appointments with him. He was a calm doctor, with a kind of zen peace to him. He always had interesting plans on weekends, did lots of activities in nature, and practiced meditation. After a few appointments, I got to know him better and we would chat about various topics during the appointment and after my adjustment if he didn’t have a patient immediately after me. During one of our conversations, he mentioned the 1 Second Everyday project. The premise of it is you record a second of something you like or simply just a part of your day and edit all the seconds together into a video, which you can later watch and remember what you did that day. Or, something to that extent. I told him I liked certain features on Facebook, such as On This Day because it reminded me daily of what I had posted on that day in the past few years. I also like looking back at pictures on my Instagram when I want to remember something or a date when something occurred.

Even before that conversation with the chiropractor, I would sometimes take pictures of things I liked and appreciated throughout my day, such as flowers during a walk in spring, an amazing sunset, a picture of the bay, an adorable dog, a beautifully set table or meal, or that perfect cup of cappuccino with just the right amount of foam, among other things. Of course, I’d also take pictures of friends and family, or shots in the studio with guests after an interview or with clients after commercial shoots. Since Alessandra has been born, I have taken a picture of her daily. On some days, it is multiple pictures. The first year after she was born, I had about 11,000 pictures on my phone (the majority were of her). These pictures were in addition to the pictures we took with the camera. I know, this is normal for first time parents. I am glad I did that! I look back at those pictures now and can’t believe how much she has grown in only two years.

Sometimes, we (I) go through our days and are so busy with work and life, that we often don’t stop to appreciate the little things, such as wild flowers, a colorful sunset, the beauty of our bay, among other ordinary things which may seem a simple part of our day. I feel grateful to have the opportunity to slow down a bit in regards to my busy work schedule. This was a conscious choice I made, and am grateful my husband was supportive. I wanted to enjoy bonding time with Alessandra as a newborn and infant, but also as a new mom. I am forever grateful to have this opportunity. I also wanted to stop the enjoy our home and surroundings more.

The new series I am going to start is “Today’s Gratitude Photo”. I will try to find something in my day every day life which I am grateful for or which I like. I will start with doing it for a month and then, see what happens. Yes, I could take a picture of Alessandra every day and post that, but it goes without saying that she the biggest blessing in my life and for which I am most grateful. But, for those of you that enjoy seeing pictures of her, I will include photos of Alessandra because she is such an important part of my every day life and brings me joy daily.

If you want to, join me in this series and either post your picture below in the comments, send me a link to your photo, or start doing it on your own. Just as I like going back to see blog posts from a few years back, I am certain I will like going back to see my “Today’s Gratitude Photo” which will serve as a reminder of where I was that day or what I was doing. Just in the past few days which I have been making a conscious effort to take a gratitude photo daily it has made me appreciate the blessings we have in our lives as a family every day. The pictures have also made me reflect on many aspects of life. Hope you like this new series and enjoy seeing the photos.

Here goes…the first picture for the series.

Star of India

Last week, my hubby was out of town for several days. I decided stick to my routine with Alessandra as much as possible and not attend any events. In order to attend an event or movie screening, I would have had to take her to Chula Vista to leave her with my sister and that just seemed like a bit too much. We did leave the house daily, but that was either to go to the gym or run errands. I did manage to go get a pedicure one day and luckily, Alessandra behaved very well (i had snacks for her & books/toys to keep her entertained). We also went for a walk on Monday evening with Lorena. By Friday, I was ready to go out in the evening. So, when I headed downtown to pick up my husband from the airport, I decided to leave a little earlier enjoy a brief walk with Alessandra by the San Diego bay. Instead of waiting in a parked car at the cell phone lot, we had the joy of seeing the Star of India lit up, as well as the lights of the downtown sky line and bay area! Breath taking! Every time I see the Star of India, it reminds me of the time I was invited to go on it during it’s annual sail on the bay. I am grateful to have had that opportunity and to have learned more about the history of the Star of India.

Have you seen the Star of India on the bay? Have you seen it lit up at night? Have you been on it? It is part of the Maritime Museum of San Diego and tickets are available for the public to visit this and other vessels, you can find more info here: SDMaritime.org.

Hugs,

Paola