alice in wonderland

people always say, "opportunites come far and few". however, just because opportunites come about, doesn't mean they are for us. i believe that we should pursue every opportunity in front of us. some will end up being life changing, while others will get passed up, never given a second thought. what matters is that you take the chance. follow it until you cant go any further. i was asked to go with a team to Uganada to work at an orphanage. all i have wanted to do for the past 5 years is go to Africa. i committed to go in July 08. the orphanage now is requesting that only a small group of 6 come. that number would not include me because there were about 6 students who got the team together. they would have priority to go. even if i dont end up getting to go, atleast i fought for it. prayed for it. supported it. committed. decided to change the world. developed a love for children i had only seen pictures of, but never even met. I have been blessed with the opportunity to go to guatemala, not once, but twice. i have committed to go again in december for my third trip. sometimes you've just got to pee in the wind. (grier. stop laughing at me.) i was given the chance to work at an orphanage this coming summer. i could pick to go to guatemala, honduras, or russia. i had decided to go to russia and contacted the lady and everything. i then found out i had to pay $3,000 to do it and abandon moving to Charleston to work with an amazing photographer that I have an interview with in a few weeks. i am glad i looked into it and developed a passion for it, but there comes this point where you know if it is right for you or not. i have a peace about not going. it opened my eyes to the different opportunities that are avaliable to me, waiting to be taken. for me to close my eyes, hold my breath and jump. i am really glad that i completely abandoned my comfort zone and contacted this brilliant photographer in charleston. i figured i would never hear back from her, but what is the harm in trying. to think that if i had not contacted her at all. i really would've missed the boat.

last week i was at barnes & noble and ran into a guy who i went to college with. he now teaches digital photography at a local high school in powdersville. we got to talking about graphic design and he asked me to come and speak to his photography class and show them my work. i was extrememly flattered and excited. who wouldve ever thought i would get to go talk to a group of high schoolers about my photography....

take chances.
seize the day.
live for what you love.
money doesn't buy happiness. (ask me about the summer i spent in nashville).


"be who you are," said the Duchess to Alice, "or, if you would like it put more simply, never try to be what you might have been or could have been other than what you should have been."
-Lewis Carroll, Alice in Wonderland