Being Present

Let's keep this short and sweet ... like Christmas. At least, when it's over it feels like it was so short.

Christmas vacation, however, starts out NOT feeling short and sweet ... as anyone with a schoolage (even preschoolage) child knows. As someone who just wants to relax and do her own thing, often involving some factors called "peace" and "quiet" which are exceedingly rare in houses wherein children reside. Yes, the selfish part of me wants that. Don't worry, I'm beating myself up over it enough so there's no need to give me the evil eye anymore.

It's hard staying in the present. It's hard letting go of what I want to do, and surrender to the child. My child lives out loud. All day. Every day. My inner child, however, hides quietly and is not easy to find. But that's okay. I don't need her. All I need to do is put away the "shoulds" and "wanna's" and embrace the noise. And the tylenol. (Maybe the valium when I need it.)

That is my biggest present to my son this year: working harder on being present.

What I wish for all of you, too -- being able to put aside concerns, worries, and whatever keeps you from relaxing and enjoying what's right there.

So, from me to you:

SOOC:

Some details on the edit: The glare on the glasses was not something I could see or anticipate (because I didn't take the picture... a friend did), and was not technically fixable. I had to zoom in between 800% and 1200% and recreate his eye, pixel by pixel group. It's far from a perfect job and doesn't really look very natural, but it looks better than the glare. Then I selectively brightened and darkened it, corrected for skin tone and brightened the eyes. I heart Elements!

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Taken with my Canon Rebel XSi, and edited with PS Elements.