We are fortunate to have the gift of photography. I know not everyone is a shutterbug like me.

Photography has become so accessible. Digital cameras in our smart phones, professional cameras are now available in digital. No more waiting for photos to be processed… it’s instant gratification.

I’d love to share with you that the photos of yesterday and those we take today can be used to help you in your grief. Last time we talked about photography, we used it to capture things that make you happy or bring your joy.

This week we are going to focus on seeing different aspects of your Loved One all around you. This may be in a very practical way or perhaps in a more spiritual connection. That’s all based on you.

Your Loved One left their mark in your life. Did they help plant a garden, build you furniture or create the environment in which you grew up? All these things can be captured. Reference your “Capture Memories” journal for ideas. I’ll give you some photo ideas:

• a home before it’s sold… the front door, the fixtures, the sunlight coming through the windows.
• street signs of the corner of where you met or where someone lived
• plants, trees, flowers that have meaning in your relationship
• a specific animal that is symbolic
• a symbol of a saying your Loved One often used
• anything they may have made or created so you have an image to remember their talents
• a place that was meaningful to your relationship or your Loved One
• a special beverage or meal they enjoyed

I’ve had some of the most interesting experiences regarding spirituality and nature. I was fortunate to take photos of some of these moments. Here are some of those photos.

What is your perspective? How do you see the world? Your perspective helps to continue to feed your worldview, beliefs about others and thoughts about yourself. It guides your decisions and next steps. It also can continue to uphold your personal fictions or untruths. Interestingly, if you don’t like the direction your life is going, then it’s up to you to question if the way you are thinking about the world is working for you… That’s a tough thing to read, yowser!

Let me explain a bit here… Do you think the world is hopeless or do you believe that there are options or ways to get the help you need? Do you believe that you always have bad luck or is there another explanation for the circumstances?

It’s important to remember, what happened has nothing to do with if you are a good person or if you have done everything right in your life. You are not being punished because you are struggling with building a family or if you have lost a loved one.

Most likely, when you are in the midst of your struggle, you are inside your head… thoughts circulating and bouncing off each other. You can easily recognize this in others. Their eyes seem to be distant as they are in deep thought.

When you are coming out of “the fog” and returning to connecting with others, you begin to look around and notice things that have always been there that you just didn’t notice. I love hearing comments from folks in this stage. They are seeing things for the first time that are of interest to them. I had a some interesting images in the offices in which I’ve worked. It was so apparent when a comment was made about a specific area of those images that theperson had reached a new aspect of their healing.

When you are engaged in the world again, you walk with your head up, eyes open, and mind curious. You look for signs that you are doing the right thing or of your loved ones. You have the interest to try something new or get back to what you enjoy. You are able to receive information with a critical mind rather than with judgement.

What do you see?

This article is full of images. I find that when my eyes are open and my mind is pondering the possibilities, I see shapes all around me. I see a common theme of hearts. When you are with an open mind, you may see other things… cardinals, butterflies, bunnies, a specific letter, or even a specific color. What ever it is for you, it’s important to recognize this is something that has meaning for you. For me, when I see hearts, I know I am on the right path. This started many years ago when I was in high school after I experienced significant losses of two friends and a great grandparent in a short period of time. The heart symbol continued to show itself through major life transitions and I find the heart to be all around me at this time. It’s absolutely amazing!

I recently started teaching my daughter about my connection to hearts. She came into our lives at 3 weeks old and she is the daughter I’ve always held in my heart. Hearts have been present around her. I took this shot on a recent walk and realized the heart in the cloud when I was looking at the images later. This happens ALL THE TIME with her and her brother. I know these are the children I am supposed to raise and we needed each other more than we will ever know. She is beginning to see the hearts around her too. I am honored to be given the opportunity to teach her to look beyond what’s just in front of her for possibilities.

My goodness, even my dog, Ralphie sports a heart on his nose. Imagine my surprise when I met him for the first time… My mother volunteers with Rover Rescue and I had asked to meet this guy from looking at a photo. I thought he had gentle eyes. When we met, we connected and then I noticed the heart. He is an amazing dog, helping in our home in remarkable ways with my kids unique emotional needs.

I encourage you to open your eyes. Look around. Hold what you see in your mind and ponder the response in your heart. Are you connecting with the world around you? If you continue to look for your signs, you will see them.

All of these activities are helping you to recognize your Loved One’s impact on your life. You may be wanting to share these things with others in your life or maybe you want to keep it for yourself. I’d like to introduce you to a resource available to you.

This website, https://www.murial.life, provides a platform to create a legacy page for your Loved One. You can then share it or keep it for yourself and visit it as you wish. Take a look to see what other pages are like and see if you’d like to create one, too.

Today’s Activity:  Look through your photos or snap some shots of those things that remind you of your Loved One.