Helen Joy’s Photographer Blog

Helen Joy George 12/28/15 Helen Joy George 12/28/15

the year of "be" | coming up from nearly drowning

I'm sitting here with the doors open and the beautiful rain falling outside. It's the first chance I've had to sit down and process our Christmas season and my heart is just filled with gratitude. It was not perfect. In fact, it was far from it. There was arguing, a LOT of sickness, plans that didn't work out, feelings of being overwhelmed and sadness as we mourned many losses this season. But If I were to sum up our Christmas I would say it was full.

The good kind of full.

Every Christmas when I pack up my decorations I ponder how things went and compare that to my expectations.

I am always disappointed.

So I've taken to writing myself a little note to tape to the top of my Christmas decoration box. Last year I taped this to the top:

I remember last year so vividly. We had just moved and chaos surrounded us with boxes and things in the wrong place. I was extremely depressed. I hadn't slept in 7 years. I remember forcing my family to go get a tree in the day between moving and me going to the Wildflower's Workshop in Florida. I had strep throat and a high fever and I remember bawling and yelling as we decorated our tree because things weren't going like I pictured they should. My children's scared, wide eyes broke my heart, but I couldn't stop myself. My husband ended up leaving the room. The season was filled with lots of tears as time after time I was disappointed; in my children, in my expectations but mostly in myself.

This month feels like the first gasp of fresh air after nearly drowning. It's been 10 years of feeling like if I don't stop trying or doing I will surely drown. I'm suddenly aware that maybe this drowning, this doesn't have to be my life.

I'm sleeping through the night now. I'm seeing a wonderful natural doctor who is helping me regain my health and learn to trust my body again. A beautiful soul of a woman has been meeting with me weekly and helping me figure out the logistics of how to live MY life (not the best way to live someone else's perfect life). 6 months of intensive marriage counseling has broken down walls and given me a deep love and a bright hope for the future. I have rebranded my business and I have said "no" often. All of these things are wonderful. A lot of hard work has taken place in this year. This has been the year of stretching. This has been the year of hard work.

That little note on my Christmas box and the energy that is finally returning to my weary body provided the ability to "just be" this Christmas. There were many times I had to throw up my hands and say, "This. Does. Not. Matter", many moments I had to step outside and breathe in the air and clear my head of expectation. There were many times I messed up and apologies were necessary. But I have a heart full of beautiful moments: unforced, real, special moments with my family. The tears were far less and the joy was much more.

I've never been one to take hold of new years resolutions, because I'm more of a goal girl all year round. After this year of work I am ready for a beautiful year of growth. January 1st can come and I will welcome it with open arms instead of groans.

As I've been processing things, I thought about calling this the year of "me". I have neglected my body and soul much over the years and I don't want to drown anymore. I want to breathe! But the year of "me" makes me think of the desperate grasping at straws of worth. Of hobbies that don't fill hearts and time away from family trying to quiet the chaos.

In the end, a year of me is not what I need. I need a year, no a lifetime, of "be". Of just being; of allowing expectations to fall by the wayside and just being present, the year of taking the time to sit on a mountain top with no agenda but just being there and being still, of evenings sitting hand in hand with Noah in conversation instead of filling my mind with distractions and mind numbing tv. I am confident that this slight change in my heart will lead to much joy and the drawing together of our family.

Here's to a year of digging down deep and growing up tall.

Helen Joy George 9/25/15 Helen Joy George 9/25/15

the girl inside | portraits of my wildflower friends

The girl inside

I return to you (children) full of renewed life

For I tended to the girl inside

I donned my blinders and headed off

Knowing how worthy it was

For a girl, starved, does no one any good

Even the most beautiful of things turn to ash when a corpse lives inside

Why do those around me mutter words of hate?

Why must those who starve the inner girl, receive gold stars for most consecutive days of staying put?

Would they rather me stick her away in darkness to gather dust for a lifetime?

Only to pull her out at the end, when the nest is empty and try to revive her?

This would do both of us a disservice

For I want my children to see me pink cheeked with breathless adventure brimming from within

I want them to know my love is free

It doesn’t take much to nurture the girl

Bits of moments strung here and there.Pauses of wonder at the stars and the smallness of you

It is a worthy cause.One worth the pursuit

A unique soul that was fearfully and wonderfully made is wasted when daily grind builds up walls

For anyone can wash a pot

But the nurtured girl can wash a pot with joy because she knows she is so much more

Inspired by the brave women and mothers who take time to nurture their inner girl.

Photos from the Wildflower Reunion in Bellingham, WA

www.helenjoy.com

Helen Joy George 8/25/15 Helen Joy George 8/25/15

the need for community

A few weeks ago a couple of friends suggested we take our kiddos (13 to be exact) camping for a night. Sometimes, actually often times, the wind up and let down of such events don't quite seem worth it when you're elbows deep in getting everything together...and then there's that moment when cell phones don't work, when distractions are gone and all that's left is the beauty of the outdoors and the company of those around you. And then you breathe in and sigh a huge exhale of something that doesn't come around often...contentment. I was feeling the beauty of community so strongly. So much that I broke out my big camera instead of relying on my phone to capture it. When I got home and saw the images I just felt so strongly that these are pictures of community. Children draped on people who aren't their parents, watchful eyes, playful parents, distraction free, tweens cooking breakfast and that sense of everyone pitching in. And it felt so dang good. Real, raw conversations took place and children were let loose to discover and dream and I thought, why don't I get here more often? Why don't I make the effort to arrive at this simple place more often?

In many of my conversations with dear friends lately, the main theme between them all is the longing for community. I realize how very special it is to have it and I feel very grateful that we are surrounded by the kind people we are surrounded with, but I also realize that community is also allowing yourself to be loved and lifted and cared for, and returning and doing the same. I think it is just as much asking and allowing as giving.

I wrote this for myself and for anyone else who has that longing for more.

Also, our pastor has been preaching on community the past few weeks and how we were created for it. If you have the time, I very much encourage you to listen.