Thankful

Thursday morning Colin and I woke up, ate a small breakfast, and ran a 5k. That’s right, Anchorage has a Turkey Trot, too. As I ran across the finish line at my typical, day-to-day pace I realized I wasn’t breathing as hard as I probably could have been (or should have been, given it’s a race). The months of consistently running 3-5 miles three times a week have been paying off—I’m getting stronger. I reflected on that later in the day as we cooked dinner; how thankful I am to not only be able to work towards personal and physical growth but also to have a community to share that growth with. From the Alaska running community to my family and friends to my coworkers, I am fully supported in all that I do and try. Just that simple fact is a level of privilege afforded to so few.

Every photograph I take is a reminder of all that I am lucky to have. Each time I pick up my camera is a step towards personal growth, a more mature body of work. I can be impatient with my art. I want it to be great, and I want that greatness now. But nothing works that way. It’s a day-to-day, week-to-week consistency that makes us better…and more thoughtful. This long weekend is a time for me to check in: to remind myself of all that I have as a way to work towards building an even better future.