Loss.

To lose something is very difficult. To lose a loved one is much worse.

The Fall is an emotional time for our family; we have experienced our highs and lows. But it's the lows we tend to remember as the highs tend to fade into memory. It seems for my side of the family the early Fall brings about birthdays and celebrations, while for my other side we have experienced loss. This is not a blog to bring you down, it is a reality check about appreciating what you have in life and making the most of it.

What I believe is most important about this time of the year is re-connecting with family and friends. As we prepare for the late fall, and winter, we go into our "cocooning stage" as I call it. We know daylight is getting shorter, the weather is getting colder, yet the warmth that was with us only a few short weeks ago is confined to our homes. I am just fine with that!

As I have grown to be an adult (seriously) I have learned there are many important aspects I had no idea were important up until a few years ago. Okay, maybe a few dozen years ago, but I still realize how important they are! I learned to love every day like it was your last one; I learned that being critical is cheap and unhealthy; I learned to open my eyes to my surroundings. The way I learned this was through the lens of a camera.

Now certainly not everyone carries a camera with them, and thinks about photos the way a photographer might, but if you open your eyes and look at your surroundings, you are going to be very surprised what you have missed. You will see that house in the middle of the block you never saw before---although you have walked by it more than 100 times. You will see that child who in a blink of an eye has gone from a stroller to driving a car. You will see things in a completely different light. This is not lost time, it is new found experiences.

The photo above can be looked at one of two ways. It can be seen as dark and dreary---or a sign that life is going to be coming back to this tree very soon. When I shot that photo, we were on the edge of springtime---I knew I wanted to take it before the leaves pushed back on to the branches. It is one of my favorite photos.

It's easy to open our eyes and see "new" in our surroundings---it's also very important to remember those who are no longer in them. All 6 of our children are named after people who touched us in very special ways---several of them left us in the fall. We will never forget them.

Today's Snap Shot is dedicated to the passing of my brother in law on this date and to my niece who I was never fortunate enough to meet. They live in our hearts and prayers.

Thanks for stopping by.