Sweet Self-Acceptance

A friend asked me to take some head shot portraits for him. He needs some professional-looking images to use for all the social media necessary for his work. I was happy to do it, for he is a dear friend.

I asked only one thing in return, to turn the camera around and take a couple shots of me. I just wanted a nice new shot for F@cebook and other sites as well. I configured all the right settings on the camera and handed it over to him on autofocus.

Considering he's not a photographer... we got really lucky with one beautiful shot.

(Well, luck and my instant critiques that he should shoot me from above - always more flattering!)

I decided to make Christmas cards and everything!

As I was editing the photo and creating the card (design courtesy of my photographer friend Keli, Keli Anderson Photography) I had plenty of opportunity to stare myself in the face.

I considered photoshopping the lines around my eyes. I decided not only do the lines not look that bad, but in fact, I'm proud of those lines. They're smile lines mostly. A sign of joy. Happiness, smiles and joy etched on my face.

Yeah. No need to photoshop those. I've earned them. Then, even that thought surprised me a bit. Am I really okay with those lines? Proud of them? Sure.

But heck if I'm going to publish any unflattering shots here!
So there is a limit to my self-acceptance!

The bottom line is... proper posing and carefully chosen angles can disguise some signs of aging but not all. Accept what you can!

Perception is Everything

Sometimes perception is everything.

My cousin in another state, posted on F@cebook this afternoon that she was stuck in a store parking lot with a dead car battery. I was immediately sympathetic. Oh gosh, I imagined the cold, the wait for a tow truck or at least the effort of finding someone to let you attach cables to their car for a jump. But what if the battery won't take a charge? That's definitely a tow... the expense of that and a new battery plus installation. Yuck what a hassle.

Hours later, when I checked FB again she had triumphantly shared that her husband rode up like a white knight and saved her!

I have to admit, I was stunned! I hadn't even considered that possibility.

Thus is the life of a single woman. Particularly one who has been single for far too long.  I've dealt with my fair share of dead batteries, flat tires and dead starters - and it has always been inconvenient, expensive and relying on strangers. (At my dad's advice I keep jumper cables in my car because of his theory that if you have them, the chance of your needing them is dramatically reduced!)

The thought of simply calling someone who loves me and being done with the situation is completely foreign to me.

I'm not complaining.  This is the life I have, and I can handle it. I'm only pointing out just how different our lives can be.


Do you know someone who could use a go-to person for this type of situation? Would you volunteer your husband to help a single friend in such a case? Why not call that single friend and let them know? Honestly, it would mean the world to her!