A Closer Look

I have days where I get overwhelmed by life. For a brief moment I forget all the good things and focus on the stress and the uncertainty that I face.

Today, I was working on writing a guest post for another blog and I was editing photos from my trip.
The only day I actually took photos (and very few even on that day) was when my boyfriend and I went on a picnic.

As I edited these photos, worked on the guest post and listened to some lovely 90’s music…I felt relaxed and at peace.
There are days when I take a closer look at my life, and realize how lucky I am.

I have an amazingly supportive family.

I have the chance to explore my dreams, decide what I want to do with my life and not feel held back.

In just over a month I will be moving to yet another state and be living with my boyfriend after 6 long years of being apart.
On Sunday, I got back to Boston after visiting him for 2 weeks (apartment hunting!) and I always think about how unbelievably lucky I am to be in the relationship I am in.
I think few people experience the love and the joy that encompasses my being when I’m with him. I think, because we’ve had a long distance relationship for 6 years, few people have seen just how happy he makes me.

As I sat at the park in his arms, near the waters edge looking up at the trees, down at the grass and felt the heat being dampened by the breeze drifting across my skin…there was a few hours my life felt perfect.
There will always be troubles, always be stress and worries in my life, I know that.
But when I take a moment to look closer and really think about things…there is a peace and happiness and a feeling of being the luckiest girl alive.

I’m not trying to brag about my man (well maybe a little), or about my family…it has taken me a long time to come to this realization and a longer time to accept that it’s true. For many years I have been unhappy, and there are still days, moments and weeks when life overwhelms me. But in the long run, I have the things that are most important in life…family, love, time and my health.

(all photos ©Kendra J Kantor 2010. Do not use without permission)