2011!!

Happy New Year!!

And so a year of documenting our life through photos and words has come to an end. What did I learn from it? For starters, I learned that even though I LOVE taking pictures - and even though it seems I am doing it constantly - there is nothing easy about attempting to capture "a photo a day" for an entire year. It just didn't come as natural as I thought it would. Sure there were many days where it just hit me, like a bolt of lightning, that I HAD to get a picture of something... that it was just a perfect description of that particular day. But then there were other days that were boring and mundane - days when that obvious snapshot alluded me. And there were even more days when life was just so busy that the thought of taking a picture never even crossed my mind.

All that being said, however, I also learned how important journaling is. I learned how valuable WORDS and WRITING are. What a blessing it has been to scroll back through this blog and read through the many events - both big and small - that happened over the course of a year. Many of which I would have quickly forgotten... we ALL would have forgotten. I hope that my family will enjoy reading about 2010 for years and years to come.

Lastly, I learned that pictures help us to remember emotions. It's easy to remember an activity or an event (at least sometimes it is), but when you look back through old pictures your mind and heart are flooded with the feelings tied to that particular event. Joy - Laughter - Heartache - Grief - Excitement - Anxiousness - Happiness - Contentment - Passion - Love... Emotions make the memories seem more alive - like they just happened - and I love that the photos I posted have helped me to feel those emotions all over again.

So, will I do this again? Will I charge myself with the task of journaling another year through "a photo a day"? Probably not. I WILL, however, continue to journal and blog and post pictures - just without the pressure of trying to do it every single day. Thank you for joining me on this adventure. Until next time...