My Two New Loves

Dear Buddy and Princess,

Sorry kids, I have two new loves.

When you started moving into your “big people” lives, there was plenty of room for a mom to fill and I’ve been determined to fill it with good stuff.

I had to dig way back in time to reconnect with that person I was long before I had children and pull out my desire for a right-brain life. It’s in my nature that I’d fill some of that space you left behind with creative pursuits.

Writing is an obvious choice for me and I don’t think the time I’ve spent with my journal or laptop has surprised anyone. But, photography and performance poetry weren’t even on my radar.

Photography 

I’ve never considered myself much of a photographer, mostly choosing to leave that responsibility to someone else.

I’ve kept a little point-and-shoot camera on hand anyway and I have many crappy photos of birthday parties and scenic panoramas to show for it. I guess I thought any picture was better than none.

But, once I started working seriously with family story, I decided I want good ones. I realized how much better a story is with good photos and, on the other hand, how great a photo is when accompanied by story. The two go hand in hand.

When I looked back at old photos of my travels and our family life when you kids were young, I have to imagine how much more precious my pictures would be if I’d used a better camera and been a more capable photographer.

So, now I’ve graduated to a high quality camera, a Canon SX50HS. It’s no Rebel but it’s all the camera I can handle and I’m loving what I’m able to capture with it.

Add that to a travel photography class I took on-line and things have improved. I’ve started to look at everything with a more discerning eye and have managed to get some pretty good shots.

I feel more than lucky to spend my summers immersed in nature within Lesser Slave Lake Provincial Park on the North Shore Homestead. I have unlimited subject matter to practice on here.

Performance Poetry

Now make no mistake, I’m no poet. But, because I love words, I do love poetry, especially the performance variety. So much so that, there are times I can’t sleep after taking in a slam event or the poetry cabaret during Wordfest in Calgary.

I go out to poetry events in order to appreciate cleverness – the tricky and skillful use of words and language. I love to feel the emotion that wells up, at once happy, then instantly sad, like when Shane Koyczan performs To This Day or to be drawn in by Sherry-D Wilson performing Spinsters Hanging in Trees.

(Watch Shane’s To This Day below.)

It’s a gift, art, and talent. It’s inspiration. And it’s thrilling.

These two loves, photography and performance poetry, have enriched my life. They started out just for me. But now I see what I capture with my camera as part of my story and something each of you can build on. The performance poetry is something I enjoy on a social level, a night out with one of you or a friend.

I’m excited to share this with you today. It’s a glimpse of who your mother really is.

So, don’t be jealous of my new loves, kids. Be happy and see these two loves as an extension of ours. All the more connection and fun.

Love you both. See you soon,

Mom xo